The Fine Gael social affairs spokesman, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, has criticised the newspaper industry for continually complaining about the libel laws while "completely ignoring the need for an independent [press] ombudsman to investigate complaints of breaches of press standards". As a result, presentation of the libel issue by newspapers was "totally one-sided". They "do nothing to convince legislators of their commitment to balance and fairness in their news-reporting and analysis. There are many with complaints against the media whose only option to secure redress is to sue for libel," he said.
The appointment of a press ombudsman was one of the main recommendations of the Commission on the Newspaper Industry which reported in 1996. He said the commission said if newspapers accepted its recommendations for an ombudsman, there should be a change in the libel laws to provide immunity from defamation claims to such an ombudsman.