Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

Rabbitte denies 'calling in newspaper editors' to complain about coverage

The communications minister flatly denies a Sunday Independent report that editors had been “called in”.

COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER Pat Rabbitte has flatly denied reports that he had “called in” the editors of some of Ireland’s newspapers in order to scold them for persistently critical coverage.

The Sunday Independent had reported last month that Rabbitte, attending a business lunch in April, had told investors that editors had been summoned to tackle what had been described as ‘a continuous cycle’ of government criticism.

The piece, published on May 20, cited Rabbitte as having told the event that the editors had been called in, but that they had explained that they were also under business pressures.

The paper quoted him as remarking: “The more you try to influence them the worse they get.”

In response to written parliamentary questioning from Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty, however, Rabbitte bluntly dismissed claims that any such meetings had been held.

“I did not call in any newspaper editor on any date,” Rabbitte simply asserted, declining to elaborate further.

The April event – hosted by Ernst & Young – was held under the ‘Chatham House Rule’, under which people in attendance are free to share the information they obtain but are not permitted to identify the person who revealed it.

‘Odious practices’ exposed by Leveson not present in Ireland – Rabbitte

Rabbitte unaware of defamation case ‘until weeks before court listing’

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
12 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Hannigan
    Favourite Thomas Hannigan
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 2:53 PM

    J.Edgar Rabbitte

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fagan's
    Favourite Fagan's
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 4:13 PM

    If it was in a credible paper, then I might give it credence but it is another Sunday World Anon. quote that has it.

    A senior journalist in the Sunday Independent said that “Aengus Fanning personally made up all quotes and decided on how stories should be presented. I once saw him beat a colleague for telling the truth”.

    Junk papers like the Sindo are part of the problem here.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute PunchUinFACE
    Favourite PunchUinFACE
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 4:15 PM

    Agreed Sunday indo is a piece of shit!!!

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac Chambers
    Favourite Cormac Chambers
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 3:27 PM

    They will be burning books next.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute censored
    Favourite censored
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 7:08 PM

    You can trust Eamon Gilmore. He is an honest and truthful man who would never tell a lie or deliberately deceive the citizens.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Purcell
    Favourite Dermot Purcell
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 7:46 PM

    Censored iam glad that you believe in the democracy that is being dished out to the people of this country ,i do not however the political class are so corrupt that they are on a par with any african country ,the media is afraid of the political class ,the judiciary i would not trust with a parking ticket ,a cover up in to our banking crises that people could not imagine and the last thing ,the silence about it all ,this country is in a death grip with organised crime

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jay Warner
    Favourite Jay Warner
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 8:05 PM

    Dermot… your sarcasm detector is in Friday mode buddy. I think you just agreed with what cencored was say(he was being sarcastic) lol

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Yvonne Byrne
    Favourite Yvonne Byrne
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 9:12 PM

    I would also like to see the minutes of the meeting Rabbite had with the Board of RTE!

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick Murphy
    Favourite Patrick Murphy
    Report
    Jun 8th 2012, 7:24 PM

    Funny Censored, funny!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Silent Bob
    Favourite Silent Bob
    Report
    Jun 9th 2012, 12:31 AM

    Unhappy with critical coverage? It would seem our elected majority are sensitive to being brought to account. Keep shining those lights in the recesses many prefer to keep hidden.

    4
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds