Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this really important debate on the importance of journalism in conflict zones. Even in peacetime, we all appreciate in the Chamber the important role that journalists play. First, they keep the public informed. Second, they act as a counterweight to much of the disinformation on social media. Third, and perhaps most important, they keep the government and, indeed, the opposition in check, hold them accountable and prevent the accumulation of absolute power. Therefore, even from a peacetime perspective, the role of journalism is really important.

Journalism is doubly important in times of conflict all across the world. Journalists keep the public informed as to what is happening on the front line but also keep decision-makers informed. They pass a lot of information from the very front line back to key decision-makers and pile on much pressure for peace talks in the end. Owing to journalists' excellent testimony and reporting, they actually act as a deterrent against war. They assist in holding people to account in the end because of their documentary evidence, videography and photography. They act as a deterrent and promote human rights.

If we think of all the conflicts over recent centuries, we realise journalists provide an historical record. In some cases, they record excellent examples of bravery and, in other cases, the brutality. In all cases, they remind us conflict is absolutely unnecessary. This is a very important lesson that we should remember.

As a teenager in the 1990s, I remember listening to the testimony of Orla Guerin when she was reporting from the western Balkans during the break-up of former Yugoslavia. Teenagers, as we all know, are not easily impressed but I recall being very impressed by the quality of her reporting, the unbiased nature of what she was saying and how she was completely disregarding her personal safety. It left a lasting impression on me. The new generation certainly identifies with Donie O'Sullivan, the Irish CNN reporter who reported so well on the insurrection last year in Washington and who continues to report from there. When working in Syria with the UN some years ago, I was sharing a hostel with Tim Marshall from Sky News. I was very impressed by the quality of his reporting and his absolute commitment to providing a truthful account and ensuring the story was not only recorded accurately but also reported to the people who needed to hear it. We should always remember that when journalists enter conflict zones, they are completely unarmed. They are armed only with their microphones, video cameras and notebooks. That takes a completely different type of courage, a completely different type of brave, and we should certainly recognise and respect that.

The services journalists provide are not provided for free per se; their profession costs them a lot. The website of Reporters Without Borders shows reporters have suffered severe casualties, even in the past few months. It is only May in 2022 but already 48 media workers have been killed while doing nothing other than their job. The vast majority have been journalists. On top of that, about 500 journalists and media workers are incarcerated all across the world, again for the same reason, which is for doing nothing other than their jobs.

It is appropriate now to consider and remember Pierre Zakrzewski, the Irish citizen who was killed in Ukraine with his Ukrainian colleague back in March, and also Shireen Abu Akleh, who was murdered in the occupied Palestinian territories only a couple of weeks ago. On the latter case, I echo the comments made by some of my colleagues today on the excessive use of force by the police. I welcome the fact that there is an investigation taking place. Prosecutions and accountability must come as soon as possible thereafter. We must also remember journalists who are fortunate enough to survive. They do not suffer only from physical scars because post-traumatic stress, separation from family, the estrangement of children and substance abuse can follow afterwards.

What can we do more as a country, society, Legislature and Parliament to support the excellent work that journalists do? We know where the journalists are being held. We have diplomatic relations with some of the countries in question and should not be afraid to use all the leverage we have, particularly from a trade perspective, to ensure the journalists are released, particularly those who are held without charge completely arbitrarily and who have in some cases been abducted and incarcerated for no reason other than providing good journalism.

The Minster, Deputy Coveney, said the State is providing funding to provide some equipment for journalists across the country. Items of equipment such as body armour and helmets are a necessity in conflict zones. When looking at the current video footage, I am always concerned when I see soft-skin vehicles being driven by journalists. There are up-armoured Toyota Land Cruisers available that provide considerable protection from small-arms fire. Every responsible media outlet should be providing that equipment for its employees, particularly those it is sending to conflict zones.

The Minister also mentioned training. We should certainly consider this. There was a three-day hostile-environment awareness training, HEAT, course run in the Curragh for journalists going to conflict zones. It was run until the pandemic but was then stopped. It could be resuscitated, provided the military gets the appropriate resources to run it. We also need to regulate big-tech companies more to combat false information and fake news on social media.

The last requirement, education, is the most important. From a transition-year student's point of view, we need to do more to inform the younger generation and give them the skills to discern what advertising, fake news, opinion journalism, propaganda and quality journalism are. We have a bit of work to do in this regard.

I fully appreciate, recognise and respect the role of journalists in conflicts. They provide a great service to democracies. It is now up to democracies to provide a better service to journalists and support them in their work.

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