How free is the press and should it be that free?

Voltaire said “to discover who rules over you, you must first find out who you are not permitted to criticise”.

He who shall not be named has proven over the last few days that he has an extraordinary influence over what happens in the Dáil as a result of his ability to bring cases to court.

It poses the question of just how free are the press and should they be that free?