The Irish Times and the General Election

Now that the new Government is installed in office, the roles played by the Irish Times and the Mahon Tribunal in the Election should not be forgotten. It may be tempting for those directly concerned to draw a veil over the entire saga, but actions that have been described as a threat to the electoral process should not be allowed to fade so easily from public memory.

Our Group has supplied a Background Memorandum to the new Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan, urging that the controversy should be examined by a competent official body. At the least, we are looking for assurance from the Minister that future Elections will not be undermined by sensational leaks from Tribunals or similar bodies.

If we must have newspapers acting as arbiters of political morality and moulders of public opinion during Election campaigns, we should be entitled to full information about their long term agendas. Our democratic freedoms, expressed in Bunreacht na hEireann, were hard won; they should be jealously protected.