John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On page 5 of Mr. Browne's presentation he spoke about the relationship between the PR industry or sector and journalism and he referenced research that had been done in the United States in the 1980s that the PR industry had expanded rapidly in contrast to the journalistic sector. Mr. Vaughan has expressed his view that it is not a homogenous sector but that employment levels are greatly lower than in the PR sector. Does he agree with Mr. Browne's assertion that PR officers in general control the agenda of the media? He asserted that because of the ability to deny access for interviews and a number of other factors in effect mean they have a great deal of control, at least, of the media agenda.