THE GOVERNMENT intends to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act and to introduce whistleblowers’ legislation and rules governing lobbying, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said last night.
Mr Kenny was speaking at a dinner hosted by the National Newspapers of Ireland for the board and directors of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers in Dublin Castle.
The event was attended by publishers and editors from more than 30 countries as well as representatives from 16 national and 34 local and regional newspapers.
"Newspapers continue to make a vital contribution to cultural, social, economic, intellectual and political life especially here in Ireland where more than 330 million newspapers are sold every year and over 4,000 people are employed directly," Mr Kenny said but added that the recession put great pressure on the sector, citing the closure of the Sunday Tribune.
Mr Kenny said it was the Government’s intention to reduce the lower rate of VAT from 13.5 per cent to 12 per cent by the end of 2013, which he said would benefit the industry.
He added that, in keeping with the Government’s desire to bring openness and accountability to politics, it had started work on restoring the powers of the Freedom of Information Act and would extend its scope to other public bodies as well as bringing forward whistleblowers’ legislation and introducing a statutory register of lobbyists.
He said the Government was committed to getting the country working: “This day I met in the Department of the Taoiseach three different individuals each with over €100 million to invest in job creation in our country if we can free up the systems to do so.”
Paul Cooke, chairman of the NNI, said the media and economic landscape meant the industry faced unprecedented challenges.
“Like many newspapers around the world, Irish titles are being impeded and commercially harmed by issues such as a growing disregard for copyright, competition for digital revenue from publicly-funded broadcasters, restrictions on advertising, unfair taxes on reading and other obstacles,” Mr Cooke said, and called on the Government to appoint a minister for media.
Mr Cooke paid tribute to the outgoing president of the world association, Gavin O’Reilly, whose successor will be chosen tomorrow.
Mr O’Reilly said that the current crisis of confidence in the newspaper industry was “somewhat analogous” to the crisis that Ireland has faced in recent months. “But guess what, we’re still here despite what the pundits say,” he said, adding that the industry’s problems were real but not insurmountable.