Rabbitte confident Irish newspapers did not engage in hacking

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.

“I don’t believe the more odious practices exposed by the Leveson inquiry are present in Ireland,” he said.

Speaking at the launch of the annual report of the Press Council of Ireland and the Press Ombudsman, Mr Rabbitte said it was no surprise that the British authorities were looking at the Irish system for handling complaints against the print media.