Workers’ Party Dublin North-West representative, Jimmy Dignam, has today called on RTÉ to reverse its decision to outsource all young people’s programming to the independent sector.

Dignam stated:

“RTÉ’s decision to outsource young people’s programming is a slippery slope towards further privatisation of a vital public service. The State broadcaster has a duty to the taxpayer to provide a high quality and wide-ranging service. This simply will not be possible in the future, if we begin to start portioning off parts of the service over time.

RTÉ has excelled at kids’ programming through shows and characters like Zig and Zag, Dustin and the Den. It did not just view kids’ shows as mindless entertainment but took on it’s role to educate and inspire young citizens. It is imperative that it continues this tradition.

Dignam continued:

“The reality is that outsourcing and privatisation of State assets is a disaster and not in the public’s interest. We have seen the detrimental impact of privatisation through the selling off of bin services, Bord Gáis and Telecom Éireann. We should pause and think of a society where Denis O’Brien’s Communicorp and Independent News & Media are our only sources of entertainment and news, because this is where we are heading.”

Dignam concluded:

“The Workers’ Party sends its solidarity with all the RTÉ workers who have lost their jobs so close to Christmas. RTÉ’s Director General, Dee Forbes, may believe this is a cost saving exercise, but it will ultimately prove to only be short-term and the general public and RTÉ workers will bear the brunt of this decision for years to come.”