THE TAOISEACH HAD little to say this afternoon when asked about US President Donald Trump’s decision to ban a number of news outlets from the White House.

Asked if he thought the move was anti-democratic or authoritarian, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was “not going to embroil myself in that particular issue at this particular point in time.”

He said the issue was a matter for the US and that there is an “ongoing sort of engagement between media and President Trump”.

He made the comments while speaking to media at the United Nations headquarters in New York, just after Trump delivered his meandering opening address to the annual UN General Assembly.

CNN, Politico and MS NOW are suing Trump and officials in his administration for banning their reporters from the White House.

Trump announced that he was banning the news outlets on Friday, accusing them – without specifics – of reporting “fiction and lies.”

He did not say what had prompted the ban, but added that “media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America.”

In a joint statement yesterday, CNN, MS NOW and Politico said they were filing the lawsuit “to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes”.

“Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,” they said.

Trump’s decision has led major US news organisations to stand with CNN, MS NOW and Politico by refusing to replace its White House pool crew. 

In a joint statement, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC said: 

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”

Under a longstanding arrangement, the five broadcast networks take turns filming the president and providing live footage to one another and the wider press corps.

The footage is also relied on by local TV stations, newspaper websites and media outlets worldwide. 

Fuel protests

Elsewhere, Taoiseach Micheál Martin also warned about further protests in Ireland over the price of fuel. 

His comments come after the president of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said today that further protests cannot be ruled out as hauliers are unable to sustain current diesel prices.

The price of diesel in many forecourts across Ireland has now moved beyond €2.10, despite the government’s cut to excise duty on petrol and diesel. 

The process of unwinding the excise cuts is due to begin in November, but Tánaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris said this week that it may not be “prudent” to begin the process if prices remain at the current level or above. 

The Taoiseach gave no indication today on what further measures, if any, may be taken by the government. 

He said ending the conflict between Israel, the US and Iran is the “key” to fuel prices being lowered.