asked the Taoiseach if he will state the number of occasions since the 18th February, 1948, on which the Government Information Bureau, a Minister or Department of State, or a State-controlled body, has issued statements concerning the accuracy of reports appearing in newspapers published in Ireland; and, further, to state the number of occasions on which such statements referred to reports published in each of the following newspapers: The Irish Independent, The Cork Examiner, The Evening Mail, The Evening Herald, The Irish Times, The Irish Press.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Newspaper Reports.
So far as I have been able to ascertain, the number of occasions since the 18th February, 1948, on which statements of the kind mentioned by the Deputy were issued or made was 40.
The number of occasions on which such statements referred to reports published in the newspapers mentioned by the Deputy was as follows:—
|
Irish Independent |
6 |
|
The Cork Examiner |
4 |
|
Evening Mail |
3 |
|
Evening Herald |
2 |
|
The Irish Times |
6 |
|
The Irish Press |
26 |
|
TOTAL |
47 |
The apparent discrepancy between this total of 47 and the figure of 40 mentioned by me earlier in the course of this reply is explained by the facts, firstly, that some of the reports referred to did not appear in any of the particular newspapers mentioned by the Deputy and, secondly, that some of the reports referred to were published in more than one of those newspapers.
I should, perhaps, explain further that, in compiling the foregoing particulars, no account has been taken of cases in which inaccuracies occurred in letters addressed to newspapers or in which inaccurate statements made by individuals were apparently correctly reported.
In view of the figures given by the Taoiseach to the effect that one newspaper has been guilty of inaccurate reporting in this respect on 26 occasions out of 40, will the Taoiseach ensure that in future the Department of Agriculture will not allow most of its advertising to be done through that medium?
In view of the fact that the publication of a contradiction by the Government Information Bureau does not necessarily mean that the report contradicted was incorrect, will the Taoiseach ensure that the Government Information Bureau will confine itself in future to non-political matters?
The Government Information Bureau is doing its duty efficiently and impartially.
"Ireland's New Man of Destiny"; is that Government information? "The Wily Old de Valera"; is that Government information; is that party propaganda or personal propaganda issued by the Government Information Bureau? Is that one of the contradictions issued?
Will Deputy Lemass make that available?