The Press Council - Fair and powerful
The statement came after Denis O’Brien, speaking during a court action against the Daily Mail, in which he won and was awarded e150,000, described the body as “toothless”. The journalist involved in that action was Paul Drury, a member of the Press Council.
The council underlined that it recognises “a free and vigilant press as an essential component of any democratic society... and that freedom... must be exercised within an independent system of accountability and redress”. Since its inception, the council has shown practical commitment to those ideals and, through its impartiality, ensured that media organisations respect its judgement and fear its censure. It is far from toothless.
