RTE is promoting the snappily titled “Fair City Civil Action Special” on its website. Always slow to jump on the bandwagon, our indigenous soap opera has finally decided to exploit the issue of child abuse undertaken by Catholic priests. No doubt there will be the usual fig leaf of public service education when a concerned female voice will announce after the program, “If you or anybody you know has been affected by the issues shown in this program…”. From the synopses of upcoming episodes (inexplicably, RTE has posted the plotlines for this week’s and next week’s storylines on its site–so much for suspense), it seems Fair City writers will draw deeply from their well of talent so that the subject will be handled sensitively. Here’s the breathless exposition for one episode:Myra (Orla Charlton) digs for information on Brennan (Stanley Townsend). Mitchell’s death means his evidence in Aidens[sic] case is hearsay. Quirke visits Rowe in prison. Lawler pressurises the Bishop to settle quickly before Rowe is released. Lana questions the morality of Irish Law. That last scene, in which Lana questions the morality of Irish Law, sounds powerful.