The country’s highest-ranking judge has said the courts must be a ‘backstop’ for resolving civil disputes when all other options have been exhausted.

The country’s highest-ranking judge has said the courts must be a ‘backstop’ for resolving civil disputes when all other options have been exhausted.

Newspapers are being inhibited from investigating and publishing on issues of public importance due to the Government’s failure to reform defamation laws.

The Press Ombudsman and Press Council have called for regulation of social media to stop spin, lies, and corporate interests distorting debate.

Major online social media firms including Google and Facebook could face levies which would be used to fund newspapers under plans being considered.

The essential work of the print media is no less important than decades ago. But for that work to continue, newspapers must be given a chance to survive, writes TP O’Mahony.

The Office of the Press Ombudsman says it is powerless to seek redress for a man, who was wrongly identified as a sex offender and a threat to children on the Facebook page of a local news outlet, as the organisation is not a member.

THE capacity of social media to influence events, as the need for strengthened telecommunications legislation discussed above shows, seems almost limitless. 

Fake news is impossible to regulate and will only be combatted by discerning readers and the strengthening of traditional media, the Communications Minister warns.

CREDIBILITY is the issue that will define the future of all media. 

Muslims are not well represented in the media, according to the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

A recent decision by the Press Council of Ireland should act as a warning that journalists do not have free rein to use content posted to social media, a leading academic has warned.

A pupil whose contribution to a classroom debate on water charges was published online has had a complaint upheld by the Press Ombudsman.

The media have been warned off treating social media postings as public material where children are involved.

A letter was published in the Irish Examiner on 27 November 2014 under the heading “Solicitors’ tribunal only censured solicitor for failing to write a letter”. 

Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy has called on the protesters who shouted personal insults at President Michael D Higgins to apologise.

Racial profiling played a major part in the Garda handling of two cases in which Roma children were wrongly removed from their parents last October because of unfounded fears that they had been abducted.

The former RTÉ boss who was in charge of dealing with complaints from the public about the stationwill take over as press ombudsman later in the year.

A push is on to get publishers of online news to sign up to a code of practice for handling complaints after the Press Council adjudicated on its first formal grievance arising from social media.

The newspaper industry has paid warm tribute to Press Ombudsman John Horgan as he announces his retirement, describing him as a man with a “uniquely rounded and incredibly insightful perspective” who “commanded universal respect”.

Less than 15% of all complaints against newspapers and magazines are probed by the Press Ombudsman.

A judge refused to strike out an assault charge when a solicitor claimed his client had been prejudicially affected by media coverage.

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has dashed Fine Gael hopes of bringing in a privacy law.

Ireland’s Press Council has defended its role in the wake of recent criticisms voiced by Denis O’Brien during his libel action against the Irish Daily Mail.

The Press Council yesterday issued an unprecedented statement asserting its independence and effectiveness.

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has warned his Fine Gael Cabinet colleagues he will fight attempts by them to bring in privacy laws.

Fining newspapers for bad behaviour is unlikely to act as a deterrent or boost public confidence in the press, according to the Press Ombudsman.

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has slapped down a bid by his Cabinet colleague Alan Shatter to introduce tougher privacy laws for the media.

Former Tánaiste Michael McDowell has demanded tougher restrictions on media ownership as the Government signalled its intention to impose a privacy law.

Ireland's Press Ombudsman has been called to give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry next week.

Ireland’s Press Ombudsman has been called to give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry next week.

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has expressed confidence that Irish newspapers have not engaged in phone hacking or the corruption of police and government officials, unlike some of their British counterparts.

Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said today that he hopes online media will be covered by the Defamation Act in the future.

THE Press Ombudsman has warned young people that material they publish on social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter could be accessed and used by journalists.

THE Press Council of Ireland has renewed the appointment of the Press Ombudsman, Professor John Horgan, for a second three-year term.

YOUR report headlined ‘Racist incidents to be tracked’ (July 7) incorrectly gave the impression that Minister of State for Integration Mary White was setting up a new monitoring system to track incidents of racist attacks and abuse.

THE Press Council of Ireland received 351 complaints last year, mostly for alleged breaches of the code of practice, including truth, accuracy and privacy issues.

Facebook and Twitter users are being warned that they could be sued if what they post is damaging or defamatory to other people.

FORMER Dunnes Stores chief Ben Dunne has accused TV3 of lacking “common sense and fairness” by making the decision to announce the Minister for Finance’s cancer diagnosis on St Stephens Day.

LAST week we had a glimpse of what is possible when powerful interests move to control the public agenda.

At least one complaint was made to the press watchdog every day in its first year, it was revealed today.

YOU report (May 15) Labour TD Joanne Tuffy’s demand that families angry at media coverage of relatives who were victims of a major tragedy should have their complaints investigated by the Press Council.