Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 11 July 2019

Public Accounts Committee

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Appropriation Account 2018

9:00 am

Photo of Shane CassellsShane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is very disappointing that the service was effectively ended and I made that point to the Ceann Comhairle when he convened those meetings. Local radio and newspapers are an important part of democracy in allowing people access to what happens here. Rather than allowing the contract to end, the provision should have been rolled out to the full 19 local radio stations and the local newspapers. On behalf of Members and for local media, I reiterate to Mr. Finnegan that it should be pursued. Local media is under significant pressure in an age when social media, which is not subject to proper kinds of press regulatory mechanisms, effectively skews the news. The Houses need local media engagement and I ask that Mr. Finnegan seek to provide it.

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