The family of a Clare Christian Brother named in the Prime Time Investigates programme have stepped up pressure on RTE to produce evidence for its allegations.
Br. Gerard Dillon, originally from Clarecastle, was named as an abuser in the controversial documentary ‘Mission To Prey’, which focused on Irish missionaries in Africa.
The same programme led to a massive libel settlement with Fr Kevin Reynolds, who was falsely accused of fathering a child with a woman in Kenya.
Br. Gerard Dillon, who taught in Pretoria, was accused of sexual abuse by former pupil Tyrone Selmon in the RTE programme broadcast last May.
Mr Selmon claimed the abuse occurred in the 1980s when he was a child has has repeatedly defended his version of events.
However the family of Brother Dillon – a native of Clarecastle who moved to South Africa in the 1940’s- have demanded RTE produce its research into the allegations.
Speaking in today’s Irish Independent his niece Marian Dillon, who lives in Clare, claims the broadcaster presented one allegation as fact and is requesting research to back up the claim.
She added that they have received several letter of support from other former pupils of her uncle.
RTE practises are currently under the microscope following the Father Reynold libel but the broadcaster says its standing over the Br Dillon case and have corroborating evidence to back up Tyrone Selmon’s testimony.