Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

That is the best exercise in deflection that I have ever seen. The question here is not about the new legislation coming in on 25 May but what has gone on in the recent past in this House. The Minister started by saying that he, like the Taoiseach, believes in the free media and a functioning, healthy democracy. There are two things I would like to say about that. The media are not free and this democracy is not healthy. It does not even function as a democracy. If the media were free, why does Ireland have a higher concentration of media ownership than most other countries with one key individual, whose name can never be mentioned, whether at committee or in this Chamber, owning the Sunday Independent, Sunday World, Evening Herald, and having a stake in the Daily Star, The Kerryman, Drogheda Independent, Wicklow People, Wexford People, Waterford Peopleand many radio stations such as Newstalk and Today FM? That is power and control. That is a very wealthy individual whose name cannot be mentioned in these Chambers who has strong links with the State, so much so that every time there is an important function happening, such as at Davos, or the New York Stock Exchange, he appears with key members of this Government. That friendly relationship has helped him to secure influence and has continued to help him exist. That needs to be challenged.

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