What pushes the buttons of journalists in the south when it comes to covering stories from the north?

There are obvious organisations and individuals who straddle both jurisdictions, of course.

But in the main, journalism in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland follow separate, quite distinct news agendas.

So on this week's red lines, what issues or stories unfolding up here tend to make

the cut for our southern-based colleagues and why? Justine, interestingly, the Taoiseach

Michal Martin said last week that southern journalists need to start paying more attention to what's

happening up here. Does he have a point? He has a point, but I don't agree with the insinuation he was making. I do think that

we have a Dublin centric media and very little of the day-to-day business of Northern Ireland

is covered by it. John, is the teacher gone to something in your view? Yes, it is sometimes hard to get stories from Northern Ireland, cover in a Dublin-based media.

But then again, you know, sometimes it's hard to get stories from Kerry, Cork, my own part of the world, Limerick, places like that into space as well. We do, I agree with

Justine. We do have a Dublin centric media. But I don't think that was the point that was being

made by Mihal Martin. No, he, to be fair, the broader context of what he was saying was about

southern journalists keeping an eye on how

Sinn Féin conducts itself north of the border. And maybe we'll develop that as a theme during this

conversation. Tommy, you've had many years of experience in this field and you'll be a very

familiar voice to many northern listeners. Do you think that Taoiseach is making a fair point?

No. I think where he's coming from is his awareness that the train has left the station in relation to Sinn Féin.

There's a rattling good chance to be the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly after the elections if they wait until May.

And after that, the question is, will they again be the largest party and will they qualify for government?

And I think that's what influenced Mihal Martin's comments.

As to getting stories from north of the border onto RTE, it always saw itself as an island broadcaster, a part of its responsibilities,

and in 20 years working in Northern Ireland, I never had any real difficulty getting stories on air.

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