asked the Minister for External Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to reports which appeared in the English Daily Mirror and Daily Telegraph of 31st October, 1951, and Sunday Express of 4th November, 1951, wherein references were made to supposed objections by local people to the building of houses by Limerick Corporation at Ballynanty Beg; and, if so, whether he has satisfied himself that reports issued by the Irish News Agency to foreign newspapers in regard to this matter were factual and conducive towards the building of greater respect abroad for the Irish people.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish News Agency.
My attention has been drawn to the reports referred to by the Deputy. These reports, like all others issued by the agency, are solely the responsibility of the board of directors. I have made inquiries from the agency, however, and I understand that these reports were furnished by the local correspondent of the Irish News Agency, a well-known Limerick journalist; that they were queried by the Dublin editorial staff of the agency and, having been confirmed by the correspondent, were issued. It subsequently transpired that the reports contained an error, the incorrect attribution of a statement to the City Manager of Limerick. Immediately this error was discovered, the agency severely reprimanded the correspondent. The circumstances were explained to the city manager, and the agency expressed its regret to him. Reporting to the city council on the matter at its meeting on 12th November, the city manager concluded:—
"The Irish News Agency has apologised and I am satisfied that it was not really their fault. They have since acted most gentlemanly in regard to the matter and I am quite satisfied."
The people who appointed him should apologise.
My concern is with the type of information and news that is being transmitted abroad by the Irish News Agency and not with the views of the Limerick City Manager. Does the Minister suggest, if he has read the report to which I refer, that this report, issued by the Irish News Agency to foreign newspapers, contains merely an error? Does he not agree that it is one of the most scandalous products that ever went out of this country in relation to this country, apart from being entirely inaccurate and without foundation?
That organisation was supposed, when set up, to solve all our problems.
In answer to the Deputy's supplementary, the Deputy must be aware, because the setting up of the Irish News Agency was fully debated in the House and he voted for its setting up, that the board of directors are independent of the Minister in regard to their day-to-day functions, like the board of the Central Bank. If the agency is to be successful, if it is to get a fair chance, it has to be removed further from the Government rather than under the day-to-day administration of the Minister. I told the House in answer to a question early on that I was going to give every chance to this agency to become a success and one of the things that would kill it would be interference from day to day by the Minister or by anybody else.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I wish to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if it is the intention of the Irish News Agency to extend the scope of its activities to the extent of supplying reports of the Dáil to Irish daily and provincial newspapers and whether any approach has been made to such newspapers or to Radio Eireann as to whether they would avail of such a service if it were established.
The matters to which the Deputy's question relates are solely the responsibility of the board of directors of the Irish News Agency.