Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his future plans for press regulation here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46430/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I take it that the Deputy is referring to regulation in regard to the law on defamation which falls within my area of responsibility. Regulation of the broadcast media or issues in regard to ownership of media do not fall within my Department's area of responsibility. I have no particular plans at this time in regard to regulation of the print media. A review of the operations of the Defamation Act 2009 is required within five years of its coming into operation.The print media is regulated by an independent press Council. Section 44 of the Defamation Act 2009 provides for the Minister for Justice and Equality to make an Order, subject to the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas granting statutory recognition as a Press Council to a body that seeks recognition as such. It requires that the Minister be satisfied that the applicant body complies with the provisions set out in Schedule 2. No more than one such body can be recognised and the order may be revoked.

On 21 April, 2010, the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform signed the Defamation Act 2009 (Press Council) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 163 of 2010) granting recognition to the Press Council of Ireland. The Order took immediate effect. Formal recognition of the Press Council grants qualified privilege to the decisions and reports of the Press Council and the Press Ombudsman. This strengthens and underpins the system of press regulation in Ireland which can only serve to improve the service to the general public.

It is appropriate that strong emphasis is being placed by the Press Council and Ombudsman on resolving complaints through conciliation or mediation. Moreover, the print industry is, in general, committed to the press complaints initiative and has provided the necessary financial backing to support its operation. This co-operation is vital to the long term success of the new Irish press complaints system. The new complaints system is, I believe, providing a useful, efficient and cost free remedy for members of the public who are affected by breaches of the Code of Practice. A most important requirement is that publications that are members of the Press Council have to publish in full, decisions of either the Press Ombudsman or the Press Council, which uphold complaints made under the Code of Practice for Newspapers and Periodicals.