Published: Wednesday, 9th June, 2010 5:30pm

O'Rourke "very hurt" by Prime Time portrayal of Athlone

Deputy Mary O'Rourke

Athlone TD Mary O'Rourke has criticised the portrayal of Athlone in last week's special edition of the RTE Prime Time programme which was broadcast from the town.

Deputy O'Rourke was in the audience for the live programme hosted by Miriam O'Callaghan last Tuesday but was not asked to contribute to the discussion at any stage.

Reports published in the national media stated that when the programme ended the Fianna Fail TD, using strong language, loudly berated O'Callaghan for not including her in the programme.

When asked about this incident by the Westmeath Independent yesterday (Tuesday) Deputy O'Rourke stated: "I have no comment. I wouldn't dream of attempting to say anything against the might of the spin of RTE."

However she suggested that she would be including an account of the incident in a book she is currently working on.

Of the Prime Time programme itself, she said: "I felt that they came to 'do down' Athlone.

"I was very hurt for the town and the business people in the town who are working day and night to keep their businesses going.

"You have Athlone IT, which is a wonderful facility in the town, and it got barely a mention. The Army got barely a mention and the Department of Education got barely a mention.

"So I really felt for the business people who are working so hard to keep going.

"I don't mean it was caused by Miriam, but whoever was behind the programme seemed to want to focus on bad news even though there's so much that's good in the town."

Overall, there was a generally unhappy reaction to the programme from local politicians, business leaders and the general public, although some were satisfied with the profile received by the town during a broadcast seen by more than 500,000 people.