news Irish ministers back press pass access


THE IRISH government and parliament have intervened to challenge the refusal of journalist credentials for a conference, Brian Harvey writes.


Earlier this year, The Journalist reported on the cases of myself (Ireland) and Christian Lardier (France), who were refused entry to the Paris-based International Astronautical Congress (AIC). There is strong evidence, in the first case, that the refusal was the outcome of his criticism of the European Space Agency (ESA), which is also based in Paris, for its secrecy in refusing to disclose information on important decisions. An ESA official was


responsible for approving (or not) journalist credentials to the IAC, even though it is separate from it. The Irish case, which


received strong support from NUJ


the NUJ, was raised by Irish MEP Regina Doherty, in the lower house of the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann) by deputy John Lahart, and in the upper house of the Irish Parliament (Seanad Éireann) by Senator Michael McDowell. The exclusion was brought


to the attention of the ESA-responsible minister by fellow minister Colm Brophy, minister of state at the Department of Justice (pictured above right). He, along with minister of enterprise, tourism and


employment Peter Burke (pictured above left), told him that having ESA staff decide on admission to the IAC was not ‘in itself’ a conflict of interest. Responding, Colm Brophy conveyed a range of concerns, including the ingenuousness of such a view on conflict of interest. It is possible that there was


a rethink at ministerial level, because, following further representations, this time by Senator Aubrey McCarthy, the minister contacted the International Astronautical


THE NUJ has urged the UK government to retain requirements for alcohol licensing notices and changes to local governance to be printed in local newspapers.


Licence notices under threat Alcohol licensing notices


are a main source of income for local newspapers and provide key information to communities. Examples include plans to open a pub or nightclub and changes to


In October, the


government launched a public consultation on alcohol licensing reforms, which include a proposal to


A traditional toast to Nic Mitchell


I WAS really chuffed to be presented with a Quaich, the Scottish cup of welcome inscribed with ‘NUJ, National Union of Journalists’ at the annual meeting of the Darlington-Teesside NUJ branch, Nic Mitchell writes. The two-handled drinking bowl is also used when offering a farewell drink but, as politicians love to say, I’m not going anywhere. But I have stood down from the union’s public relations


04 | theJournalist


Federation (IAF) via the ESA. This in itself showed that he and the Irish government were aware of and accepted the intimate links between the two in deciding on the admission of journalists. The IAF stuck to its position that its system was ‘fair, transparent and accountable’, even though its criteria for accreditation were not disclosed. The Irish government delegate to ESA, Niall Bolger, described the refusal as ‘disappointing’. Although neither the ESA nor the IAF have reversed their decision, the interventions by the Irish government and its parliamentarians will have got the phones buzzing or emails pinging between Dublin and Paris. This may make both space agencies less likely to refuse journalist credentials in the future.


existing venues’ operating hours.


abolish the requirement to advertise these notices in local papers. Similarly, the English


Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill proposes removing the requirement for notices on local authority governance changes to be published in local papers.


and communications council (PRCC), which I once chaired, and the gift was presented by Phil Morcom of the NUJ Leeds-West Yorkshire branch, who took over from me as PRCC chair, and Georgina Morris, NUJ vice president as thanks for my contribution over the years to the union. I’ve been a member of the


Nic Mitchell in his famous cloth cap, with Georgina Morris and Phil Morcom, and Jackie Craft (Northern Echo mother of chapel) between Nic and Phil


NUJ since joining at 19 when I started working at Darlington’s Evening Despatch (sister paper to the Northern Echo), which like so many titles has closed. In that time, I’ve been a national pay negotiator for


“


A European Space Agency official was responsible for approving journalist credentials to the congress, even though it is a separate organisation


As the government plans


to introduce sweeping local authority reforms, this proposals could severely affect democratic engagement, restricting the ability of local communities to access information and hold elected representatives to account.


the provincial newspaper industrial council (when the NUJ had a national agreement with the newspaper owners) and branch secretary and chair and deputy father of the chapel at the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette before moving into PR and comms at Teesside University and representing the NUJ on the National Council for the Training of Journalists. I’m still as active as I can be


as joint treasurer of the merged Darlington and Teesside NUJ branch.


CHRIS MORLEY


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