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October 25, 2024 – Ireland –
Partners of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism concluded a fact-finding mission in Dublin, calling on Irish authorities to take concrete steps to better protect press freedom. Their recommendations focus on three key areas: defamation law reform, source protection, and public media funding.
One of the primary concerns raised is Ireland’s outdated and restrictive defamation laws. Journalists in Ireland face the risk of costly and intimidating lawsuits from powerful individuals and institutions, tactics commonly used to suppress investigative reporting. The delegation urged the Irish government to align its legislation with the EU’s upcoming Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) directive to prevent abuse of the courts to silence journalists. With a general election on the horizon, the mission emphasized that legal reform must be a priority for any incoming government.
The delegation also expressed deep concern over the protection of journalistic sources. They cited the long-running case of journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney, who were subjected to surveillance by UK police between 2008 and 2018. While the surveillance occurred in Northern Ireland, the mission stressed that the Irish government should use diplomatic and legal avenues to prevent cross-border press violations. They also urged Irish police to end practices such as demanding journalists’ unpublished materials, particularly in protest or public disorder contexts, as these undermine confidentiality and endanger reporters.
Concerns were also raised about the future of Ireland’s public broadcaster RTÉ, following funding reductions. The mission called for stable, transparent funding mechanisms that align with the European Media Freedom Act, warning that underfunding public media can lead to compromised editorial independence. The structured dialogue between the government and media unions, particularly through the National Union of Journalists’ Media Engagement Group, was praised as a positive model for collaborative reform.
Finally, the Platform partners urged renewed investigation into the 2001 murder of journalist Martin O’Hagan, emphasizing that justice in his case would send a strong message against impunity.
The mission concluded by affirming that while Ireland has strong democratic foundations, urgent reforms are needed to safeguard the freedom and safety of its journalists.
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