Results 41-60 of 3,444 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Freedom and Security of the Press Operating in Areas of Conflict: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: I welcome all the witnesses on this really important topic. The breadth of experience of the witnesses we have here today is really appreciated by those contributing. From an Irish perspective, trust in the media, as indicated by the recent Reuters report, is extremely high and it is to be valued that we have that. As Mr. Dawson has said, the importance of the media in forging that...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Freedom and Security of the Press Operating in Areas of Conflict: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: As things stand with regard to countries' actions and whether this is something on the agenda of national governments across Europe, where does Professor McGonagle see, first, Ireland within that context, and second, the wider European response to protection of journalists in conflict zones, and the protection of journalists full stop?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Freedom and Security of the Press Operating in Areas of Conflict: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: I am a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and just last month, the OSCE media freedom representative, Teresa Ribeiro, made the point that the failure to guarantee media freedom and healthy information space is increasingly disillusioning and disenfranchising people. The vista is not good at the moment, and that is within OSCE member states. These are states that have signed up to...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Freedom and Security of the Press Operating in Areas of Conflict: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: I will turn to Ms Evans. In her concluding remarks, she made a point around how the international community responds to the disturbing developments. What are the kinds of things Ms Evans is looking for from the international community to take action on those responses?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Freedom and Security of the Press Operating in Areas of Conflict: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: I thank Ms Evans. I also thank Mr. Dawson for his frankness in what he set out today. As he said, the issues are not just those relevant to journalists who have to wear flak jackets but to those in the online space as well. How big of an issue is this for NUJ members and journalists? Obviously, it is not a physical threat, but it is a threat nonetheless. I refer to trying to undermine...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Freedom and Security of the Press Operating in Areas of Conflict: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: The mortality rates for the Gaza conflict versus and as book-ended against the Vietnam War are startling to hear. Going back to the trolling issue and the impact on female journalists in particular, I acknowledge the article written in the Sunday Independent at the weekend by Dr. Ciara Kelly, who is a print and broadcast journalist, on the impact of trolling on her. She said she considered...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: I am the rapporteur to this committee which has been engaging since last autumn with a wide range of witnesses to discuss the future of local government in Ireland. Today's witnesses range from chief executives of local authorities and public representatives to members of academia and the general secretaries of our headquarters, who have responsibility not just for our political members but...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2024)

Shane Cassells: I thank everyone who came and participated today. There are not too many opportunities where political operatives from across the sphere, from elected representatives to general secretaries to people from academia, come together in a room for a number of hours and have a discussion. Maybe if we did it more and had that enlightened discourse, it would help the process. As Mr. Sheehan...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: I thank all of the Ministers, Deputies and Senators who have come today. Senator Kyne said he was first elected 20 years ago. Two weeks ago marked 25 years since I was elected in 1999 when I was still a young fella. I served 17 years in both town and county. It was an engaging and rewarding experience to serve. That is why I am so passionate about this process we are involved in. So...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: I thank everybody. This meeting has been extremely informative and no more needs to be said. On a point of information with regard to a point raised by the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, and by Senator Wall in respect of the correlation between local news media and local democracy. I absolutely agree as someone who was a journalist and is still a member of the NUJ. We...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: I thank all the witnesses for being here today and for the work they do in all of their respective professions because it is immensely important work on behalf of the State and its citizens. Of all the very detailed opening statements for which I thank the witnesses, the line that was probably the most frightening was Ms Chapman's when she said that people were entitled to believe things...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: Should states play a role in that?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: If I can turn to Mr. Godfrey in respect of that and that challenge he and his organisation faces, when we look at the recent writers' newsworthy report, to be positive about it, people still have an interest in news. Things change. I am old school so when I see a readership of 3% for newspapers and 33% for online it depresses me but that is the reality. The fundamentals of good journalism...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: Bar anyone thinking I am anti the online platforms, when newspapers ruled the roost, the disinformation in printed news was just as rife. I know in college we used the tabloid battles of the 80s in the UK as part of our case studies and the phone hacking and the pure lies that were driven in what used to be good quality papers. It was just as rife in the printed news as well. However, that...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: They do.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: On that point, Mr. Hempenstall spoke about not calling for new legislation but Art O'Leary from the Electoral Commission made the point before the recent elections a couple of weeks ago that the commission still does not have the legal powers to direct social media companies to take down online media material that is damaging to the electoral process. Instead, it can just warn of...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: I thank Ms Richardson for her frank and detailed statement. The committee appreciates the work that she and her colleagues in An Garda Síochána are doing. She stated that social media platforms have asserted that they take seriously their responsibility to block and remove disinformation. She then stated honestly that "such actions are also predicated on their stated obligation...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: Ms Richardson stated this will not be solved in one area but requires a societal approach involving the law, enforcement, the Oireachtas and the social media companies themselves. In that respect, I was interested that in March the National Union of Journalists, NUJ, was highly critical of An Garda Síochána and the Commissioner with regard to the acquisition of images taken from...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: State Response to Online Disinformation and Media and Digital Literacy: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Shane Cassells: The contention is that if the NUJ complies with what the Garda is seeking through court orders, its members would then become targets of rioters' venom during such incidents because those who do not have any regard for the law will believe that journalists are complicit with An Garda Síochána and are equally legitimate targets for rioters.