Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Dooley made a point about public-interest journalism and papers that used to be family owned. That dynamic has changed massively in the past 20 years. More than 20 years ago, one could go around and identify the families who owned most of the newspapers in Ireland and had done so for decades, going back to the start of the 1900s. Everyone was high on sugar during the good times and bought up newspapers because they saw them as vehicles to sell property supplements which turned out to be bigger than the regional newspapers themselves. That was when we ran into trouble. There was a slash and burn of newsrooms throughout this country, going back to 2007, 2008 and 2009. Have we been able to quantify how many regional journalists lost their jobs? I am guessing that has not been confirmed. I am still in contact with people around the country and those newsrooms have not been replenished.

I want to stress the quid pro quo issue. We had newspaper owners here last year. I met them, as did every Deputy and Senator. Mr. Lynch and Mr. Purcell have both made the point about the Government stepping up to the plate here and looking out for the interests of regional newspapers because we cannot allow local media to die because local democracy would die with it. Equally, I would make the point that if the Government steps up to the mark, there has to be an investment in newsrooms by radio station and newspaper owners.There cannot be a reduction in VAT that is only used to clear debt or that goes into the coffers of media companies that are no longer family owned but are owned by corporations, with no investment going to newsrooms. I am glad that Mr. Dooley made that point because I would also make it. If the Ministers intervene in that space, there has to be a commitment to newsrooms.

We have heard today from those who represent the workers in local media. The ownership of media is another element to this debate. Deputy Griffin touched on that point as it relates to a major player in the broadcasting space. The commercial agenda of owners has equally to be discussed in this room.

At the end of the day, they are businesses. Let us call a spade a spade. These people here today are to represent the journalists. People who own the entities are trying to make money and the best of luck to them because if they do not make money, they do not survive. We must then look at investment in the newsrooms. For decades, there was very good investment and there was a passion for making sure newsrooms were properly resourced. Nobody will buy the local paper if it is full of fluff and does not have the substantial element people want from it but the editors cannot do that unless they are resourced by their owners. I am sure the same applies to newsrooms in local radio as well - where they can send a reporter to an event after hours or sports event at the weekend. The owners of these radio stations and newspapers need to be a part of this discussion. At the end of this, I do not want to pat these people on the head and say, "Thanks very much for your time, goodbye". I want us to report back as a committee and ask in what substantial way will there be a significant change. These people cannot wait until next September. In what substantial way, can we help the funding of newsrooms? What will this country get back? Where is the significant gain for the ordinary person buying that product or tuning in at the end of the day? That is the real issue. If we do not address that here, it will have been a waste of a conversation.