Election candidate Niall Boylan's talk radio slot in question over conflict of interest rules

Niall Boylan is standing for the Independent Ireland party.

RADIO TALK SHOW host and podcaster Niall Boylan may have to stand aside from his Classic Hits FM phone-in show under a broadcasting code while he campaigns for a seat for Dublin in the European election.

Classic Hits will make a “company announcement” in Boylan’s on-air slot this evening, CEO Kevin Brannigan told The Journal.

Boylan also said this morning in a live podcast that he would make a statement on his candidacy on air later. He is standing for the Independent Ireland party, led by Cork South-West TD Michael Collins, in the 7 June election.

Regulatory guidelines for election coverage – including European elections – state that it is “not appropriate for persons involved with election interests to present programmes during the election campaign period”.

However, the “conflict of interest” provisions also state that broadcasters can make decisions on a “case by case basis”, according to Broadcasting Authority of Ireland guidelines dating from 2018. The BAI has been subsumed by Coimisiún na Meán (CnaM), the new media regulator.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said this afternoon that he would be concerned were Boylan to continue on air, given the need for radio to be independent and impartial.

He added that Boylan has been “inflaming some of the fairly toxic ideas being pushed by some far right activists in this country”.

As well as his media position, Boylan has a high profile on social media, where he frequently rails against “reckless immigration policy”. He has used his podcast and social media to campaign against the EU migration pact in recent weeks, criticising “woke MEPs” for voting in favour of it. He is supportive of Irish anti-trans campaigners.

Alluding to his candidacy on his podcast this morning, Boylan said “I will tell you the full story tonight at nine o’clock on Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio”.

“I’ll be on and I shall explain everything and go into it in great detail just to satisfy one or two journos out there, shut them up.”

He said he didn’t like the photos of him used in the media yesterday. He said he received a positive reaction to news of his candidacy on social media.

Boylan is the second candidate recruited to Independent Ireland, after former RTÉ news correspondent Ciaran Mullooly announced he will stand in the Midland North-West constituency.

The party’s leader Michael Collins hit the headlines earlier this month when he voiced support for the chemical castration of rapists and paedophiles and defended the use of guns for self-defence in an interview with Hot Press magazine.

The website of Independent Ireland states that the party will not operate a strict party whip system, leaving candidates free to speak and vote in accordance with their own views.

Standing as part of a party rather than as Independents means the collective could benefit from state funding in proportion to their first preference votes in the next general election. In the event of winning general election seats, the group could also potentialy get more Dáil speaking time as a party.

The broadcasting election coverage guidelines state:

It is the opinion of the BAI that it is not appropriate for persons involved with election interests to present programmes during the election campaign period.

It is a matter for broadcasters to decide on a case-by-case basis the appropriate arrangements having regard to their statutory obligations, the type of programme presented, the extent of the presenter’s involvement in an election campaign and in the context of the contractual, employment or volunteer relationship between the presenter and the broadcaster.”

The Journal has asked CnaM, the media regulator, for clarification on when the “election campaign period” can be understood to begin.

Fly posters, for instance, cannot be erected until 8 May.