I have no role in relation to journalistic standards in the print media. In this regard, I would note that the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman were established by industry to safeguard and promote professional and ethical standards in Irish newspapers and magazines, and have been formally recognised under Section 44 of the Defamation Act 2009, which falls under the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
As the Deputy is aware, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is established as an independent statutory body under the Broadcasting Act 2009. Part 3 of the 2009 Act also outlines the codes governing standards and practice to be observed by broadcasters. The Compliance Committee of the BAI is charged under the Act with ensuring that all broadcasters, whether public or private, comply with their licence conditions and with the standards set out in the broadcasting codes and rules.
In line with its statutory obligations, the BAI recently launched a draft ‘Code of Fairness Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs', for a period of public consultation. The BAI proposals include rules which, if implemented, will require broadcasters to maintain a Public Register of Interests, such as that outlined by the Deputy. The draft rules, which are available on the BAI website, include, inter alia, the provision that: "personnel with an editorial role in news and current affairs shall enter details of all financial or commercial relationships that might be perceived as representing a material influence on them in, or in relation to, the performance of such editorial role, together with an indication or any individuals or companies to which the personnel in question may be deemed to owe a fiduciary duty". The Authority is now considering the responses received during the public consultation period, which ran until 14 March, and will publish the finalised Code in due course.
