In relation to the timing of the announcement on RTÉ of the death of broadcaster Gerry Ryan, your journalist Una Mullally quoted 'tweets' from Sean Moncrieff of Newstalk. In these, he said that "RTÉ wanted everyone else to wait til (sic) 5 – then reported it at 3.30." This is not the case. RTÉ has no influence over when other broadcasters decide to report news stories, nor would it wish to have such influence. RTÉ's concern last Friday was that, as far as was possible, the Ryan family were all made aware of the tragic news before we broadcast it ourselves, which we did at 3.30pm that afternoon.

Carolyn Fisher,

Senior Press Officer,

RTÉ News and Current Affairs