The Press Council of Ireland and Office of The Press Ombudsman

With the establishment of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman on January 1, 2008 everybody in Ireland now has access to an independent press complaints mechanism that is quick, fair and free. This is one of the most positive developments in the history of Ireland’s newspapers and periodicals.

The new complaints mechanism is designed to ensure that the freedom of the press is never abused, and that the public interest is always served. These are the main principles of independent press regulation all around the world.

The objectives of the Press Council and Press Ombudsman are:

to provide the public with an independent forum for resolving complaints about the press
to resolve all complaints quickly, fairly and free of charge
to maintain the highest standards of Irish journalism and journalistic ethics
to defend the freedom of the press and the freedom of the public to be informed