Bradley Bytes: What’s RTÉ and Galway 2020 hiding and why?

Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column with Dara Bradley 

RTÉ has refused to release documents about its media partnership with Galway 2020.
The State broadcaster cited “commercial sensitivity” when withholding records relating to its planning of a TV, radio and online promotional campaign for the European Capital of Culture.

RTÉ also refused to release records about information relating to “plans and proposals” by Galway 2020 for developments.
This, argued the Freedom of Information wing of the organisation, was withheld because the information was given to RTÉ “in confidence” and, “on the understanding the plans would be confidential, and if released, would likely result in the organisers becoming more reticent about being as open as possible”.
This is not the first time RTÉ has redacted records to conceal the nature and extent of its relationship with Galway 2020.
In its latest refusal to release certain documents, FOI officer Richard Dowling explained that planning for the promotional campaign was commercially sensitive.
He acknowledged that there was “always a strong argument to be made that all public bodies such as RTÉ should be as open as possible to promote transparency, accountability and improve decision making”.
However, he said, “RTÉ should also be able to interact with other organisations to ensure we meet not only our statutory obligations but also the role we – and others – want to see us play in cultural Ireland”.
The information redacted, he argued, “would allow other organisations to see what we can offer to event organisers and allow them to try and secure partnership roles to the detriment of RTÉ. It would also allow other event organisers to see what Galway 2020 secured so in future negotiations they would demand at least something similar or even more from the national broadcaster”.
Records relating to plans and proposals for developments at Galway 2020 were also withheld. RTÉ said that the “developments in question involve outside agencies, with which contracts have not been finalised” and so releasing the information prior to the contracts closing, would be “prejudicial to the negotiations”.
RTÉ acknowledged there was a “strong obligation on any public body in receipt of public funding to be as open and accountable as possible”; the FOI Act was “not designed to force non-FOI’able bodies to reveal their plans or proposals before they are ready to do so”.
Remember both these organisations are funded by your hard-earned cash: Galway 2020 is almost entirely dependent on State handouts; while RTÉ is heavily reliant on the public purse through the licence fee.

For more Bradley Bytes about Galway 2020’s team and Connacht Rugby’s knock-on, see this week’s Galway City Tribune