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IRELAND HAS FALLEN two places in a worldwide press freedom ranking, and is down seven places from two years ago.
The study, published this week by non-profit Reporters Without Borders, sees the country drop from 14th to 16th.
The study says that the concentration of ownership across private and state-funded channels and defamation laws mean the country’s media is less free than Costa Rica, Jamaica and Austria among others.
“Independent News and Media (INM) controls much of the daily and Sunday newspaper market, while broadcasting is dominated by the semi-state company RTE. The 1937 constitution guarantees media freedom, but defamation suits are common. The high damages awarded by Irish courts in defamation cases have prompted calls for a review of Ireland’s defamation legislation.”
It adds that the proposed Communications (Retention of Data) Bill has been criticised for failing to provide protections for journalists. It also adds that speaking to gardaí is “virtually impossible”.
Triple whammy
Overall, the report said that worldwide reporters were the target of a growing wave of authoritarianism with leaders whipping up hostility against them.
The group accused the world’s three superpowers — the US, China and Russia — of leading the charge against press freedom, with Trump regularly launching personal attacks on reporters and Beijing exporting its “media control model” to strangle dissent elsewhere in Asia.
The slide towards “strongman” and populist politics in Europe, stoked by Moscow, was threatening freedoms in the region where they were once safest, it added, with Hungary, Slovakia and Poland setting off alarm bells.
Czech President Milos Zeman turned up at a press conference with a fake Kalashnikov inscribed with the words “for journalists” while Slovakia’s former leader Robert Fico called journalists “filthy anti-Slovak prostitutes” and “idiotic hyenas”.
“The unleashing of hatred towards journalists is dangerous and a threat to democracy,” RSF chief Christophe Deloire told AFP.
“Political leaders who fuel loathing for reporters… undermine the concept of public debate based on facts instead of propaganda. To dispute the legitimacy of journalism today is to play with extremely dangerous political fire,” he added.
Repressed states
North Korea remains the most repressive country on Earth closely followed by Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and then China.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Vietnam, Sudan and Cuba also remain among the worst offenders, according to the RSF ranking of 180 countries.
Malta tumbled 18 places to 65 after the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
But not all the news was bad. Ecuador jumped 13 places after tensions eased between the government and privately-owned media, while Justin Trudeau’s Canada entered the European-dominated top 20.
With AFP reporting
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A great article John and so very true about trust.
Agree with the trust but I think most Irish people wouldn’t mind paying higher taxes provided we got something for it. Instead, we have poor broadband; terrible roads with bends, potholes, uneven surfaces, no road markings, no reflectors and poor signage; corrupt politicians; little or no investment in education and an inefficient health system. We do have high taxes but all it’s doing is filling a hole in the ground.
Imagine if the billions we owe and the interest accrued was actually used to make Ireland a better country for education, health, infrastructure etc.?
I am getting so sick of all of these articles on Denmark, it’s all part of the Dane agenda. I have no problems with Danish people, I’m not afraid of them, I just don’t know why The Journal has to have so many articles about Danes, and anyone who has a different view is shouted down and called a baconophobe or a Legophobe. They’re really happy, so what? Do they have to shove their happiness down our throats all the time? They’re going to alienate people very quickly if they keep this up, people will stop buying rashers and Carlsberg if they keep this up.
On a lighter note – as someone who has lived in Denmark for years and surrounded by pig farms (apparently there’s 3 pigs for every person in the country) I can confirm that their rashers are rubbish compared to the good stuff from Ireland.
On a serious note – those happiness studies are a bit of an oxymoron. Danes are not skipping around the place, beaming with happiness. Those studies are more a case of examining levels of disappointment. Danes have generally very low expectations of anything, so when things end up in the crapper they just shrug their shoulders and get on with it. this apparently = satisfaction and happiness.
To sum it up, Denmark’s a bit like Ireland, with a lot less craic and more efficient public transport.
As someone else living in DK, I totally agree with your summation of less craic but better buses! It’s true. It’s also true about expectations, and subsequently ambition. If you never have a real peak, then the trough isn’t too bad either. It’s all just rather…samey.
I don’t have as many pigs around me as I live in CPH, but I have plenty of hipsters!
I’ve never met a Dane in my life but have been told they’re like second hand Germans, with regard to nationalism I’d imagine. Its true that we could learn a thing or 2 from them, but the whole irish system is hijacked by politicos and elites. The public are caught by the bollicks and are forced to just get on with things or emigrate.
That’s a good and fair assessment Cait. Personally, the likes of The Netherlands would interest me a lot more than the scandinavian countries. Of course not perfect but has a good health system, public transport, liberal and progressive society. Not boring either.
Right you are Simon. But in the main, Ireland is still too dogged by greed, parish politics and the dregs of Catholicism and now is in the position where the economy is such that the ‘people’/shower of idiots at the top need not care about the man in the street. We also can’t think for ourselves, politically, moving to progression only as a last port of call and campaigned for Nice, Lisbon etc until a yes majority was reached. Bizarrely I would still be proud to be Irish, for cultural reasons however it is never anything but baffling the way things work here.
I can’t really argue with you there sean. Its easier just to leave, like so many have done, including myself. Nothing will ever change in Ireland. If you speak up or make a stand, you are sneered at and hushed up back in your place.
Like this lovely exchange— :-)
saw that previously Seamus, embarrassing clip. the man basically abuses an elected TD but this is somehow acceptable. Sure of course it is, censorship has been proven acceptable in this country in recent weeks so its no wonder.
Not if your an unwanted giraffe
You can’t walk down the street in Copenhagen without seeing someone battering a giraffe.
Was thinking the same…. As for their record in the Faroe Islands killing dolphins & whales every year, carried out by teenage boys to help them become ‘Men’… Backward thinking.
The Faroe Islands are only nominally part of the kingdom of Denmark. Culturally, it’s people are far removed from those of the mainland.
Also, Denmark has no say over Faroese domestic issues. The Faroe Islands are not part of Denmark, and aren’t even part if the EU.
The Danish prison model is worth looking at. Far more successful than ours, and most others in the world too.
I live in Enmark, have for 10 years. Some of this is right , a lot wrong. For starters food in Denmark is not great. People are blinded by all the hype around Noma, but most restaurants in Denmark are very poor in comparison to Ireland. Dull food, little variation and extremely expensive. Thers a huge gap between rich and poor here, as in most countries. But it’s a a more stratified society than most. Partly because of them still having a monarchy. Teenage drinking, as in Ireland, is a huge problem, as is depression across all ages. The Danes use more anti-depressants than any country in Europe. It’s a parochial society, far more insular than Ireland which is the dark side of the whole Hygge culture: closing others out of your happy little home. I still quite like it though, oddly enough. Just be aware of the hype surrounding Scandinavia at the moment. Televisions pretty crap here too :0)
Do Danes whinge like the Irish or do they have a more positive outlook….
Not whinging, resignation really to a society which works on a lot of levels but is kind of bland, dull. Every upside: good health service etc… has a downside: a general lack of vitality and dynamism in society. Denmarks a nice place. But ” nice” is usually the least complimentary of compliments as we all know. They do, though , like to give out , like everybody else in every other country. Ireland’s not exceptional in that.
Agreed.
I always admired Scandinavian dairy technology companies like Silkeborg and Alfa Laval. Where as Ireland with it’s agriculture. base remained low tech was a fundemental mistake…we missed the boat in the 70′s because of poor education and wastefull governments.
Have lived here 6 years now and though the services are good (health & childcare especially, public transport ain’t all that cheap) the taxes are crippling. 180% tax on cars followed by weight tax, green tax, road tax…the property tax is also laughable within the borders of Copenhagen. This has led to them having one of the highest levels of personal debt in the world (per capita) yet quite a wealthy government, is that a system that works for its people? Most people turn to the black (cash-in-hand)economy for services but community is so strong a neighbour wouldn’t think twice about shopping you in for paying your plumber cash. I do actually like the bacon though…
Alfa Laval, now called de Laval, is Swedish.
Perhaps the difference is that in Denmark stigma and shame are not so widespread that people feel unable to use anti-depressants because it would betray “weakness”.
Ha! As if Ireland is anything other than weak, weak, weak, from its rotten dubious Free State foundations upwards.
I’d rather more people using medication and living, than suiciding either quickly or the long way (alcohol)
Depression occurs in 1 in 4 in the population. There is no shame in using antidepressants IF they are needed and use of them should NOT be used as a criticism – not from this little country of silence, shame and fear.
I have to be honest I think the article missed the mark. Firstly from my experience Hygge is essentially “cosy low key craic” as other people have described here and something we certainly have in Ireland, but it would not be used to describe the sense of collective social responsibility that is evident in Denmark. As someone who shares time between CPH and Dublin there is good and bad in both societies, and there is a lot both of our societies can learn from each other as we are quite similar in size and economy, and you will find similar articles to this in Danish newspapers about how Denmark could learn from Ireland. We both share a love of potatoes, bacon and an obsession with the weather, and at a micro level we are both very insular and locally obsessed. We also both have a massive societal problem with drink and anyone who has had to navigate Copenhagen at 4am in the morning would attest the fact that it is carnage but with bikes thrown into the drunken mess.With the high taxes and great social welfare system the social welfare trap is even greater in Denmark. The thing I have found the greatest difference is the fact that it is ok to be ambitious in Ireland, in Denmark public nudity is more acceptable than public ambition and that can be quite frustrating. Anyway I am starting to ramble and am losing the point I was trying to make, but its a great country and so is ours, and if you could combine the best parts from both you would have the best country in the world, someone call Carlsberg.
Fantastic article. Every point rings true. I feel Ireland is too far gone for hygge.
There is a massive difference in Denmark between rich and poor, Danes do have a good life but pay massive taxes, a bit like us but they get better services than us.
The fundamental difference is in Ireland, one section of society
(PAYE Workers) fund everyone else…so much for everyone contributing like in Denmark for a more equal society.
Society here is two tiered ,,some are very comfortable while others scrape by and ne’er the twain shall meet, some are in jobs for life with good pensions,,others paying USC and tax on minimum wage,others very comfortable on social welfare for life ,no meeting point for ‘huggie’ one time the local pub was the community meeting place and kept us in touch , thats gone too , no faith any more in politics or religion …..post Celtic Tiger we’ve lost the most important thing we had …
“Danes do have a good life but pay massive taxes, a bit like us but they get better services than us.”
Danish taxes are much higher than ours, no matter what anybody says. The standard rate of VAT for example is 25% and that includes food.
They do get good services, but they really do pay for them.
Take a look at the comments section on any article here, especially the good news/ job creation articles and the majority of comments are negative and begrudging. Try selling hygge to that miserable shower!
Just thinking the same Andrew.
Oh , and Hygge has absolutely nothing to do with taxation or the broader society. A Dane would laugh at that idea. It is purely a social thing , to do with enjoying others company in a relaxed manner. Hyggeligt describes the event: as in “det var hyggeligt sidst. Tak for det” :”. Get your facts straight.
Hygge = soft lighting and candles, staying inside and chatting. Nothing to do with community. At a societal level, Danes cooperate. At a local level, it’s a struggle to get eye contact from people in the lift in my apartment building.
Yes I don’t know the author of this article but he really misinterpreted Hygge big time . As for the eye contact very true, they are a funny lot the Danes, nice but just kind of dull at times. They’re grand though. You’re right about the rashers though, inedible!
The Vikings were a sound bunch, serious hygge out of them..
And we still have too much respect for the cute hoor. We don’t see them as really robbing from us when they defraud the state for instance. We tolerated FF for far too long and the likes of Michael Lowery should never been reelected. If every one is willing to pay their way things might improve.
It is absolutely a culture thing. Ireland at a social level is incredibly competitive. Despite our apparent individuality, a lot of focus is placed on what other people think. There’s also competition between counties which is reflected in our political system. I’ve met so many people who vote based on who they think will become a Minister and bring funds to the area, rather than who they think would represent them best.
We can wish for things to be more like Denmark all we like, but until the culture changes nothing will change.
I agree, Like Christmas jumpers…It was cool when you’d see the odd person wearing one, not half of dublin doing so just to fit in :)
Jaysus after binge watching 3 seasons of the killing I thought it looked like a fairly miserable place!
The Danish cudn’t give a Fugge about the Irish….
Well, they certainly circle the wagons for their own. Try being the victim of dangerous driving whilst there and you’ll get my meaning.
Living in Denmark since 1999 I would say the author is totally off about “hygge”. What keeps Danes personal ambition in check is something else called “janteloven” a Scandinavian form of tall poppy syndrome which frowns upon anyone who thinks they are better than anyone else.
So so true Mark. Completly off the mark article!
Two things why Ireland will never be like Denmark.
Firstly, we are talking about two different cultures as in Denmark’s culture is more collectivistic while Ireland’s is more individualistic.
Secondly, population density. Denmark’s population density per square mile is double that of Ireland, making public services, etc more viable.
I completely agree with both points you make (and can’t understand the reason for the thumbs down) although I do think we could me more like the Danes if our culture evolved a bit.
I’ve been livinin in DK the past 27 years and can only agree with the comments made by those living here or who have lived her. The interpretation of hygge is completly misinterpreted in the article as with the happy Dane image. Hygge has has nothing to do with wanting to be a part of the community or contribution. Its about lighting candles on a dark winter day to warm up or chatting over a cup of coffee, which every country has or does. For the Danes image is very important, on the surface its all good but it ain’t. With regards to the happy part their ambitions and expectations are very low compared to Ireland or US and they therefore don’t get dissapointed very easily but again image and ja they use a hell of a lot of anti-depressants There are good things and less good things in all societies – Denmark being no different. And yes I miss Ireland and the craic and I love reading all the comments – makes me feel a little close to home :-)
I’m just wondering, out of curiosity (and with the old “if you want to know somebody, live with them” saying in mind) has the author actually spent time living in Denmark?
I doubt it
Me too – big time!!. A completely off the mark article on every level……
sadly, the Scandinavian countries exist as places to hold in high esteem by others, rather than places in which to live.
I think the point here is that, collectively, you get the government and society you deserve. The ills of the last 20 years, the celtic bubble, the bad services – that is not something that ia being done to us by this external entity; ” the government” – it is us. We are doing it to ourselves. But maybe it is possible to learn, evolve, mature….? We don’t want to be completely like the Danes, but we don’t want to remain as we are (in that we complain and talk about wanting things to improve). So this article should serve to make us think and, hopefully, act to try and improve things. Most of all, those who complain should roll up their sleeves and get involved.
Highest tax rates on the planet though.
Just been reading about the people who are homeless on Limerick after last week’s floods and there was plenty if community spirit between them, all have lost the possessions downstairs in their homes which are ruined , none have insurance but they were pulling together and helping each other through the disaster in the good old neighbourly way , farmers also spring to mind , they support each other too ….
The Danes invaded Ireland and then went home disappointed , they couldn’t stand the dishonesty I suppose
Lived in Denmark many years ago and yes the standard of living was very good high tax but all your health care was taken care of! Maybe it was because I worked in what was considered a menial job( housemaid) in a hotel I was very much looked down whereas my then boyfriend(husband since then) was as a chef considered a small God! Personally I found the fillapino community to be the warmest and most welcoming! The Danes valued you by what you could earn didn’t like them too much! That’s just my experience!
Excellent article! And so true.
They kill giraffes
Well they managed to lose a huge chunk of their country and haven’t spent the last 100 years being p issed off about it, so maybe we could learn something.
The point about social trust were well made.
Traditioally more of an outdoors people than the Irish …….
uuuhhh no they’re not Chris. They’re out in the summer months because they haven’t seen the sun for six months and the winter temps are more or less below zero……hence hygge – stay in, light candles and drink coffee…:-)
Correct me if I am wrong Anjelica, I always thought that Danish people have a love of nature, forests, beech etc. When I was there some yers ago I saw people with caravans, tents getting out of the urbanareqsat weekends. There is wonderful nature, heritage etc in Ireland but pwople seem to ignore it and would rather go to the pub or watch football. Nothing wrong with that I suppose but we se more obese kids here than we used too.
Hi Chris, you are quite correct, they do love their summer houses and beaches, woods and forests -and this really shows in the summer months – where they’re outdoors most of the time. I can feel it myself right now, its been a long dark, though not as cold winter and I long for getting out. I So I know exactly how they feel. Danes don’t socialise down the pub or watch footie in the winter – they hygge and its normally too cold and miserable to be outdoors anyway – minus 16-20 is not abnormal and it can feel colder if theres a wind :-) Another to thing to remember, is that a lot of Danes live in apartments (more than I Irish people) so owning a summerhouse or caravan or getting away for the weekend gives them the opportunity to get away from the cooped up big smoke. I’m surprised Irish people would ignore our magnificent natural resouces, but I haven’t lived in Ireland for 27 years and maybe things have changed…….??? Have a lovely evening…,
There is no secret. Denmark is a more progressive state than Ireland. People have a fairer quality of life so naturally they are happier.
brilliant article john,hope to see many more from you
Good article. He may or may not have misinterpreted the meaning of hygge but the jist of the article is correct. There are so many actions made here based on short term gain or profit. The bigger picture is irrelevant. We most definitely have to look at the way we do things and what the social benefit for all will be instead of what is currently happening. For example look at all the NAMA lands being sold to big business. You can be guaranteed their loyalty is to the shareholders as opposed to improving the social fabric of our country.
So they’re the happiest people in the ‘word’? Good on them!
Good piece John, well done, I lived in Denmark for a while also and I also worked for a Danish Company for a time, and I admire their approach to social policy and the fact they try to catch every citizen and assist them, the country is very civilized and has much to admire…..
I don’t believe its fair to bash Irish culture and compare it in this way as it makes out that Denmark is this great example and that Ireland is a train wreck, we are different people and have completely different histories and our dominant religion in the past was also different. We are also a very young nation compared to the Danes who have a country that dates back 1000 years, was colonial and still has a monarchy.
From my experience, Danes are not as social as Irish people, are certainly not as open-minded and we also have a great sense of Entrepreneurial Endeavour in Ireland that simply doesn’t exist in Denmark. I would also argue that our education system is also better, having studied there and also taught there a few times. Denmark does have a great ‘system’ but it does not produce people who will “give things a lash”, are adaptable and inherent “problem solvers”, I believe Irish people posess these traits in abundance.
they kill giraffes, hack dolphins to death for fun and they have animal brothels. They are definitely off my list of places to visit
you sound very better Antoinette. I am down for animal rights but what about quality of life for human beings coming first? Face the facts Ireland is pretty but its morally fairly bankrupt and is a country that would rather export the younger generations who might whine and protest, letting many corrupt and wealthy individuals continue to take a massively disproportionate amount of the wealth. The Brits are not much better – google the real benefits street which should show the real, already rich benefits cheats – but at least the economys not so bad.
*bitter
You’ve really hit the crux of the issue between Ireland and Denmark as being trust. I have moved back to Ireland from Denmark, and my boyfriend is Danish. I tried to explain the Priory Hall controversy to him, and he just couldn’t understand it. He couldn’t fathom the idea that a government wouldn’t intervene in such a situation.
I don’t think the Danes are lacking for craic, on the contrary, it’s one of the few countries I’ve lived in with as active a social and nightlife scene as Ireland has (maybe that was just because I lived in a student city, I know in the country it is different.
When I first moved to Denmark, the high taxes bothered me a bit, as would be expected. As the year went on, I got a refund for my holidays, I accessed GP service for free on the same day, and I was able to receive specialist hospital treatment at the drop of a hat when an emergency arose. If I had gone to college there, I would have received state funding, in addition to free fees. I remember explaining to my boyfriends family that not only did you not get paid to go to university in Ireland, but you actually paid to do it. They were baffled. Essentially, high taxes in Denmark mean you never need to worry about a rainy day. If you lose your job or get cancer, you won’t go bankrupt, lose your home, or have to worry about feeding your family. And that is all down to trusting the government to spend your money properly, and them doing it, which is the difference.
So nobody watched Scandimania http://www.channel4.com/programmes/scandimania/episode-guide last week where Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall visits Denmark and climbs a communal wind turbine etc. etc.
Lazy.
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