Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I am glad the Leader welcomed the Press Ombudsman and former Senator, Mr. John Horgan, to the Visitors Gallery. I wish him and the Press Council well in their work. I remind the Leader that I have asked on numerous occasions for a debate on standards in the media. Senator Walsh raised pertinent issues in this regard. Why is the motion concerning the council's formal recognition being taken today without debate when it would have presented an ideal opportunity to have a debate on media standards? We have had the treatment of the Minister for Finance by a television station which attracted universal criticism, the recent inflammatory headlines in tabloid newspapers on how certain businessmen who had left the country down should be treated and an ongoing controversy about the salaries paid to top earners in RTE at taxpayers' expense. Today there is a report on the number of times Senators voted. I am glad I am not on the firing line and therefore feel at liberty to speak on the issue. What is the standard of journalism when journalists try to measure the productivity of the Seanad by reference to how many times Senators walk to the Chamber to vote? I say this with no disrespect to all those who do so under strong pressure by their party's Whip, many of whom are fine Senators who make fine contributions. Such lazy journalism, however, is about measuring how well Senators walk, not how well they talk. We should have media scrutiny of the quality of the contributions made in the House.