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THE IRISH JOURNALIST


Newsletter of the National Union of Journalists in Ireland May 2018


Members of the Dublin Broadcasting Branch demonstrating outside the Israeli embassy in Ballsbridge in protest at Israeli attacks on journalists. See story page 18


Betrayal of trust By Séamus Dooley, Irish Secretary


The revelation that data of journalists was accessed on the instructions of the former chairman of INM represents a fundamental breach of trust.


While Judge Seamus Noonan has reserved his decision on the judicial review sought against the attempt by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to seek the appointment of an investigator to INM, there is no doubt that the confidential data of employees and former employees was compromised. That should concern every citizen who cares about press freedom or corporate governance. The NUJ successfully called on the Data


Protection Commissioner to undertake an investigation into whether personal data held at Independent House, Dublin was accessed externally. The affidavits filed in the High Court by the director, Ian Drennan, sent shock waves


throughout the company. We continue to support staff and to discuss a


framework to prevent further breaches. In constructive meetings with senior editorial


executives the NUJ conveyed the intense level of anger of staff that their privacy rights were breached as part of corporate shenanigans which merely serve as a distraction to the core business of INM. The editorial integrity of a media organisation


must never be compromised by corporate interests. Journalists cannot do their job in a climate of


fear. To borrow a quote attributed to Lesley Buckley in the High Court affidavit: “Do you not get it lads?” Those responsible for these actions must pay the price.


‘We all pay price of corporate battles’: page 3


Photo: Paula Geraghty


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