Newspapers group calls for plans for statutory press council to be scrapped

The World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum have called on the Government to abandon proposals to introduce a statutory press council.

Both organisations have written to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, warning that Government-controlled press regulation would represent a "setback" for press freedom and independence.

In their letters, the Paris-based organisations said a statutory press council would fail to respect the necessary distance between government and press, "thereby undermining the credibility of both institutions and opening them to accusations of bias".

A Government-appointed press council, with court powers to regulate the press, would not be in the best interests of the Irish public, according to the association, and could have a negative impact on the newspaper industry here by placing it at an unfair disadvantage to British titles.

"The Irish newspaper market is closely entwined with that of the United Kingdom, with many British newspapers circulating widely in Ireland and many Irish papers distributed in Northern Ireland.

"The establishment of a statutory press council in Ireland would be in sharp contrast to the voluntary code adopted in the UK."

The World Association of Newspapers has recommended that the Government establish an independent press council "to implement an agreed code of standards drawn up by the media".

The Department of Justice announced that it was considering a statutory press council following recommendations published in March by the Legal Advisory Group on Defamation, which also advised changes to the State's libel laws.

The proposals are subject to a six-month consultation period that ends on December 31st.

Under the group's recommendations, the council would consist entirely of government appointees, be responsible for drawing up a code of standards, make all decisions on alleged breaches of that code and be able to invoke the powers of the Circuit Court to enforce its decisions.

The National Newspapers of Ireland and the National Union of Journalists oppose a Government-appointed council and argue for an independent regulatory system which would involve an ombudsman and an independent press council.