Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I never met the late Liam Lawlor but believe he was a very jovial person among his colleagues. I was shocked when I opened the Sunday Independent on Sunday last. As Senator Tuffy stated, even if the story was true, it was still inappropriate. Reference was made to circulation and what happened with regard to The Sun newspaper in Liverpool, when readers boycotted it. Independent Newspapers has changed Governments in this country through its editorials. Just as politicians have ethics, newspaper editors and journalists should also have ethics.

I am a newsagent and stock many newspaper titles. I ask what the readership of newspapers is doing in this regard. It seems we cannot get enough of this kind of journalism. We should ask ourselves whether we are prepared to boycott newspapers. Unfortunately, the newspapers feed readers what they want. It is time somebody called a halt. We can pontificate in this House but I have no doubt that readers will return to buying these newspapers. We should ask ourselves what we want in life.