Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Dr. Mercille will be familiar with a study that has been quoted in a number of introductions that we have received. The paper is entitled "From Boom to Bust: A post-Celtic Tiger analysis of the norms, values and roles of Irish financial journalists."

It relates to interviews given, for example, by a former group business editor from decades ago of Independent newspapers. In essence, it is summed up in this way:

The commercial viability of virtually all media organisations depends on the smoozing of advertisers. The timid business hack finds himself regularly having to pull or pedal lightly on copy that would otherwise antagonise advertisers.

Is it the contention of the witness that the way the property bubble was portrayed was a factor? A major issue during the bubble was the inflation of house prices for ordinary people, as opposed to investors, that was incredible by any standards. Was that challenged in the course of the bubble?