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File photo of Minister Pat Rabbitte Niall Carson/PA Wire

Pat Rabbitte criticises descent of media into "corrosive cynicism"

The Minister for Communications was leading statements on media standards in the Seanad – and hearing concerns from senators about the future of the media in Ireland.

COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER PAT Rabbitte has criticised the “anti-politics” political commentary in sections of the media. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources made the comment in opening remarks at a Seanad discussion on media standards today.

He said that “we’ve gone from excessive deference to corrosive cynicism”. He said that there was once an air of deference towards institutions like the Church or Government but;

The age of deference is over now.

Rabbitte said that the incessant promotion of “cynical” discourse about politics went on in the boom years too and he found it to be “destructive of both politics and journalism”. He acknowledged that journalism had come under pressure from reduced resources and the immediacy of internet publishing but derided what he said had led to a decline in specialist journalists and an increase in “mildly reworked press releases” and “copy and paste journalism” in all media.

He also suggested that while “some” online media outlets were signed up to the Press Council, the rise of online media might lead to the establishment of a code to which outlets can sign up to if they wish to adhere to guidelines.

Following Rabbitte’s speech, several senators gave their take on the need for regulation of media – and the concerns and challenges facing the industry. Independent Senator David Norris gave the most forceful contribution to the Seanad, saying that he felt media had bullied public figures. He also claimed that a tabloid editor told him that stories published about him at the time of his presidential run were “payback time” for his defence of “victims of invasion of privacy”. Read more of that contribution here.

In a response to Norris, the minister said that while the points he raised about bullying were “very serious”, he could not accept “that we have sunk to the standards in this country such as we have seen in the neighbouring island (as evidenced in the Leveson Inquiry)”.

He also claimed that the Press Council had been working well and had only been in place for four years so needed more of a chance. When it was first established, a Privacy Act had been mooted to operate alongside the Council but that suggestion was rejected. Since then, the approach had been one of ‘suck-it-and-see’ and let it work as a “non-statutory Press Council”.

Some of the senators making statements yesterday had other questions for the Minister to consider:

  • Paschal Mooney (FF) asked if the future of investigative journalism needed to be looked at, claiming that investigative journalism was under severe threat because of some mistakes made but that it should be at the core of democracy.
  • Michael Mullins (FG) asked if the family of the deceased Brother Gerard Dillon, against whom allegations were also made in the Mission to Prey Prime Time Investigates programme, should not be allowed to have their complaint to the BAI allowed. It had been returned because it had not been made within the statutory 30-day limit.
  • Aideen Hayden (Lab) wondered if the Government would consider reporting a ‘Buy Irish’ campaign to ensure people would buy Irish newspapers – she had praised the Irish press for not publishing salacious stories about politicians’ private lives as the press in some other countries do.
  • Fidelma Healy Eames (FG) asked if the Government is going to legislate on social media as while its positive effect was clear in the “Twitter revolutions” in Moldova and during the Arab Spring, there was an issue between the boundary of freedom of speech and privacy and safety. She was also interested in whether the Press Ombudsman had remit over regional press.
  • John Whelan (Lab), a journalist and regional newspaper editor for 30 years, claimed that the Press Ombudsman “really has no powers” and that he had himself been subject to a story of misinformation. He said that it should be the case that the taxpayer and the Government be entitled “to ask what bang are we getting for our buck” from the State broadcaster. He also had strong words about political spin doctors coming on radio and TV programmes “masquerading” as independent commentators.
  • Trevor O Clochartaigh (SF) was concerned about the meshing of the wealthy and the media in Ireland and that journalists have a “duty to highlight issues which would not otherwise be in the public domain”. He was concerned about “inaccurate pillorying” of the public sector in “certain Sunday publications”.
  • Paul Coghlan (FG), who declared that he is a small shareholder in a radio station in Kerry, asked if perhaps smaller county broadcaster should also be in line for State funding in order to ensure a “level playing pitch”.
  • Susan O’Keefe (Lab), a former BBC investigative journalist, also wondered if part of the licence fee could be given to local radio stations, “many of which perform within a public broadcasting remit”. She also asked if the code of fairness and impartiality which is being explored at the moment would be effective.
  • Ronan Mullen (Ind) asked Pat Rabbitte if his perception of the Press Council as a “reasonable success” was based on any particular process of assessment within the Department. He also asked if such assessment would be enough to determine what should happen with proposed privacy legislation.
  • John Crown (Ind) said that on the issue of “hypothetical intrusiveness” by the media, as far as he was concerned, they didn’t intrude enough in some areas which are of critical importance such as in the area of his own ‘day job’, the provision of cancer services. He said a free press is “one of the most important things that we have” and that there should be ways to enforce the responsibility of the media to expose wrongdoing.

David Norris: Tabloid editor told me that stories about me were “payback”>

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    Mute John O'Reilly
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    Apr 6th 2023, 2:37 PM

    If only FFG politicians were as outraged by real photos of Gardai assisting masked thugs throwing families out on the street as they are fake outraged by a SF politician posting an artwork depicting the same

    466
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Apr 6th 2023, 4:08 PM

    @John O’Reilly: gardai don’t ‘assist’ in evictions. Their role is to ensure that there is no breach of the peace.
    Sinn fein hates the gardai, something to do with the way they used to stop them robbing banks. They murdered quite a few gardai in their time.

    388
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    Mute Michael Reilly
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    Apr 6th 2023, 4:31 PM

    @John O’Reilly: You might enlighten us where?

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    Mute Mc Comascaigh Paul
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    Apr 7th 2023, 8:25 AM

    @John O’Reilly: where can I find these images of masked thugs evicting families???

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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    Apr 7th 2023, 9:44 AM

    @John O’Reilly: They are there because they are legally obliged to be there,surely you are not naieve enough to think it’s just random “let’s evict someone today for the crack” so presuming you know that they must be there ,what’s your point/agenda ?

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    Mute camio55
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    Apr 6th 2023, 3:08 PM

    I think SF are the last party in this state that should use history illustrations to embarrass government.

    Their most recent history in support of murder and violence is one they ask all to forget. Would they like those innocent dead to be on posters throughout Ireland.

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    Mute camio55
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    Apr 6th 2023, 7:20 PM

    @Ronan Meagle: No not all, it is too easy to forget when mouthing populous rhetoric the very recent history of SF . They live in a world of denial and hope the population at large will not dwell on their association and support for the phscophatic behavior of the IRA in the not too distant past. The innocent murdered could be with is today except for their actions. That is how recent their actions are in a historical context.

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Apr 6th 2023, 9:12 PM

    @camio55: The anniversary of the GFA is upon us. Yet the condemnation of one side in the conflict suits the narrative of FFG. Perhaps if successive Irish and British governments had not buried their heads in the sand concerning the apartheid state that existed in the six counties it could have been averted. The shaking of heads concerning Republican violence, yet the British state sponsored violence is glossed over. Hypocrisy at it’s best.

    26
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    Mute Plumbers Dublin
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    Apr 6th 2023, 4:10 PM

    Sinn Fein meekly apologising with their usual sincerity! In regards to Sinn Fein and the eviction ban being lifted, I wish they would stop going on about it. I have the deepest sympathy for those it will affect but I don’t think Sinn Fein understand that we live in a free market economy. If a person works, pays their taxes and decide to spend their money on something that is not illegal it is their own right. Person buys a second house for investment or retirement. This is now their property and as such they should be allowed to do what they like with it when they want. The person may want the house to live in themselves, they may need the money desperately. If the government told you all their was a car shortage and that you could not sell your car in the north of Ireland where you could get twice the money or you had to car share with a neighbour everyone would be outraged. Why, because you bought and paid for it with your hard earned money and should be able to do what you want with it. It is not the landlords fault but with Sinn Fein’s attitude the average landlord just wants to get out because if Sinn Fein get in to power it will be no evictions, lowering of rent prices/rent freezes.

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Apr 7th 2023, 12:05 AM

    @Plumbers Dublin: Well FFG in power since the foundation of this state have been apologising for the last few years for their inept governance of this state .They are responsible for since the foundation of this state concerning the apartheid state that existed in the six counties. Yet you criticise the people who fought against this system. The hypocrisy is typical of FFG.

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    Mute honey badger
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    Apr 6th 2023, 2:43 PM

    An non-apology. Politicians are great at them.

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Apr 6th 2023, 4:10 PM

    @honey badger: why pick on Doherty?
    It’s just a house, albeit a huge one.

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    Mute Chris Gaffney
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    Apr 7th 2023, 12:16 AM

    @John Mulligan: Still didn’t hear any meaningful account of the Cabra house either???

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    Mute Richard Starling
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    Apr 6th 2023, 3:14 PM

    I’ll bet he does (not)! Doesn’t Sinn Fein want to disband the garda entirely if they get in power (or did I hear it wrongly)?

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Apr 6th 2023, 3:30 PM

    @Tommy Berry: They used to refer to them as ‘Free State RUC’. I think it’s safe to say that they don’t like them much. They’re not big fans of our republic either.

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    Mute Richard Starling
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    Apr 6th 2023, 5:36 PM

    @Tommy Berry: Thank you for correcting my misheard information.

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    Mute Richard Starling
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    Apr 6th 2023, 5:39 PM

    @Paul Whitehead: that was uncalled for. All I noted was something that came up and may have misheard. You could have corrected me politely instead of the insulting tone of your statement

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    Mute Chris Gaffney
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    Apr 6th 2023, 9:37 PM

    @Richard Starling: Gardai, landlords, developers, revenue, multi national companies and much more…..God Help Us!!

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    Mute Paul
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    Apr 6th 2023, 6:03 PM

    Given the IRA killing of Gardai, and the visits by SF members to their killers in prison, I’m not at all surprised at the Tweet.
    I wonder if the Army Council had to approve his “apology”.

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    Mute KeithG
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    Apr 6th 2023, 10:56 PM

    @Paul: Ffs.. Any thing new or interesting to add..

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    Mute Tony Harris
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    Apr 6th 2023, 3:00 PM

    In fairness, Simon’s outrage completely took the headlines away from the latest opinion polls! A job well done, Simon. Congratulations

    85
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    Mute Chris Gaffney
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    Apr 6th 2023, 3:36 PM

    He is a total bag of wind!!

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    Mute Michael Keegan
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    Apr 6th 2023, 2:35 PM

    Tone deaf

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    Mute alan
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    Apr 6th 2023, 2:37 PM

    @Michael Keegan: or cat out of the bag.

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    Mute Don Hogan
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    Apr 6th 2023, 9:19 PM

    This guy is unfit for any office and a liar. Ireland deserves better than him.

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    Mute Dev
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    Apr 6th 2023, 4:20 PM

    he definitely nailed the soyboy aesthetic

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    Mute Cobson
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    Apr 6th 2023, 3:36 PM

    new soyjak just dropped

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    Mute Siobhan O'Sullivan Morrin
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    Apr 9th 2023, 4:48 PM

    I don’t know why he should ‘regret’ the posting of this piece of protest artwork.
    I didn’t take it to be a reflection on individual gardai or on the force in general. Rather I saw it as a metaphor of the State forcing people into homelessness. It’s a perfectly valid response to the lifting of the eviction ban and the lack of suitable and affordable alternative accommodation in the private rented sector at the moment.
    And just for the record – I’m not a supporter of Sinn Féin as such (though I have voted for their candidates) but if someone says something that makes sense … … …

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    Mute Proinnsias O'Dubhlaoich
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    Apr 22nd 2023, 8:58 AM

    It’s all hot air about the lack of affordable housing and evictions. Our political class and that includes SF have decided every person rich and poor from around the world can land here legally or illegally and stay, even those who have deliberately destroyed their documents after boarding an aircraft or paid into some scheme to get residency. So I don’t want to hear another bloody word from any politician of their concern about the lack of houses and the homeless Irish unless it’s in the same sentence requesting the arrest and deportation of illegal migrants (who have broken EU/UN rules ). We all know why there is a lack of houses for Irish people or maybe the multi jabbed sheep can’t still don’t get it. Sick of this fake concern from these wretches in the Dail like they don’t know why it’s happening, they’ve caused it.

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    Mute Joe Bergin.
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    Apr 7th 2023, 10:07 AM

    Yeah… I think not.

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