David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I join Senator O'Keeffe and a number of previous speakers who have called for a debate on ethical journalism. The Leader has said he has scheduled time to discuss this important issue. Such a debate is timely, in the wake of the article in the Irish Independent yesterday which has been raised by a number of other Senators. This article was deliberate. Its intention was to stoke up anti-social welfare and anti-immigrant sentiment. It was shameful. Even if they apologised, they should hang their heads in shame. They knew exactly what they were seeking to do. Let us be very clear, this was an attempt to stoke up tension. One could go further and say it was an attempt to incite hatred. Articles such as this should not appear in national newspapers.

The Senator who raised the issue yesterday in this House is absent. His comments yesterday were shameful-----