Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has previously remarked that the commission has been constituted as an expert group rather than a stakeholders' representative body. This observation is to miss the point of the concerns raised about the breadth of the commission's membership in terms of addressing the limitations of the goals set for its work. There is no reference in the terms of reference to the consideration of declining employment prospects, media plurality or media ownership. Their inclusion is crucial if the stated purpose of the establishment of the commission is to be realised.

Precarious contracts have become the norm for a significant number of workers within print and broadcast media, both public and private. The economic shock of Covid-19 will be felt for some time and will exacerbate this reality. Local media, as has been said, have taken a battering over recent months. It is with these newspapers and radio stations that young journalists have traditionally cut their teeth. Employment rights, career opportunities and the ability to progress are the foundations of the professions' and sector's sustainability and credibility. How will these be factored into the commission's work?

The latest Media Pluralism Monitor from the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom highlights common challenges across the European Union. Just over half the member states, including Ireland, score a medium risk under market plurality. This, of course, is not a new concern. How will that be addressed?

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