27 NUJ renews appeal for O’Hagan investigation


The National Union of Journalists in the UK and Ireland has made a renewed call for an independent investigation into the murder of Sunday World journalist and union activist Martin O’Hagan.


In a joint statement marking the anniversary of Martin’s murder on 28 September 2001, Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, and Seamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, called for the appointment of an external investigator to carry out an independent inquiry into the murder and the subsequent failure of the police to secure a conviction for the murder.


The statement said: “The NUJ remains gravely concerned at the failure to apprehend those responsible for the murder of Martin O’Hagan. The cold-blooded killing of a courageous investigative journalist should be investigated by an independent body. The failure to adequately investigate the murder serves to undermine


confidence in the rule of law. There are so many unanswered questions about the murder of Martin that the case should be urgently reviewed. There has long been a belief that those responsible for Martin’s killing may be protected because of their role as police informers. This issue must be independently investigated. “The family, colleagues, and friends of Martin


continue to mourn a journalist of integrity and bravery. It is not good enough that his killing should simply be regarded as an ‘unsolved murder’. There is an onus on the UK government, as part of its commitment to global press freedom, to show political leadership on this issue. We call on the Irish government, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, to support our demand.” Martin O’Hagan was murdered by the LVF on 28 September 2001 while returning to his home with his wife, Marie.


Bruton must examine sale of Offaly papers


The NUJ has called on Communications minister Richard Bruton to fully investigate the bid by Iconic newspapers to purchase Offaly newspapers, the Midland Tribune and the Tullamore Tribune. The Tullamore Tribune is edited and


produced in Tullamore and primarily serves North Offaly and neighbouring towns in Westmeath and Laois. The Midland Tribune is headquartered in Birr with a satellite office in Roscrea. It primarily serves West Offaly, South Offaly, North Tipperary and parts of adjoining counties. Irish Secretary Séamus Dooley explained


that following consultation with the Tribune chapel, the Irish Organiser Ian McGuiness and himself have written to Mr Bruton asking him to “use his investigatory powers to the fullest extent in accordance with the Competition Act”. The Minister can ask the BAI to investigate the proposed acquisition. Highlighting the issue of media diversity the NUJ pointed out that Iconic’s company, Form Press, currently owns 23 titles in the Republic


of Ireland. They are: The Donegal Democrat, The


Leinster Leader, The Kilkenny People, The Limerick Leader, The Longford Leader, The Tipperary Star, The Leinster Express, The Leitrim Observer, The Clonmel Nationalist, The Dundalk Democrat, The Donegal People’s Press, The Limerick Chronicle, The Letterkenny People, The Offaly Express, The South Tipp People, The Leader, The Letterkenny Post, The Finn Valley Post, The Kildare Post, The Inish Times, The Donegal Post, Donegal Now and Kildare Now. In the letter to Mr Bruton, they said that in


the event of the merger being approved the NUJ believes that, at a minimum, the two newspaper titles should remain independent of each other and must not be merged. They added that the Midland Tribune and the Tullamore Tribune should remain independent from all other titles owned or run by Form Press, to ensure media diversity, plurality, and editorial independence. The two officials point to a considerable


overlap between areas covered by the Tribune and Form Press titles.


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