RTÉ will strive to win nation’s trust says director general
Dee Forbes was speaking yesterday at the annual St Luke’s Home corporate fundraiser in Cork.
Ms Forbes, who was appointed the first female director general of RTÉ in July, said trust has to be earned.
“I have never been so aware of the importance of trust in what we do, as the national broadcaster, and how we need to earn that trust in everything that we do,” she said.
She paid tribute to RTÉ’s Investigations Unit for its work in recent years uncovering elder abuse, maternity care, and charity scandals, and said investigative reporting will remain central to the State broadcaster’s interpretation of its remit.
“People in positions of power and influence have never liked investigative or in-depth reporting — even impartial reporting that doesn’t chime with their particular world view — and backing such reporting requires backbone and institutional courage,” she said.
“And I will ensure that RTÉ demonstrates backbone and courage during my time as DG of the organisation.”
Meanwhile, she praised St Luke’s Home charity for earning peoples’ trust since its foundation in 1872.
She visited its facility in Mahon earlier to see how it provides care for the elderly at its 128-bed care home, and its range of specialist Alzheimer and dementia care services. It also deals with 80 day care cases every week, with up to 5,000 people a year attending courses at its education centre.
Chairman of the board of St Luke’s Home, Church of Ireland Bishop Paul Colton, said that with just more than 650,000 people in Ireland aged over 65 — a 21% rise in the last five years — the need for charities such as St Luke’s will only increase.
“It costs almost €9m a year to provide this service and money raised by fundraising events like this makes the difference - it’s the difference between surviving and subsisting, and living life to the full,” he said.
The chairman of St Luke’s Home corporate fundraising committee, Tim O’Sullivan, said he was delighted this year’s event had sold out for the first time in recent years.
Lord Mayor Des Cahill paid tribute to the charity for its work over many decades and to the people of Cork for giving again.
The event was sponsored by the O’Connell Group, Glanmire, and supported by C&C Gleeson and Co, the , The Maryborough Hotel, Cork Golf Club, Douglas Golf Club, and Monkstown Golf Club.
