Nominations are being invited from the public to fill the six independent seats on the new Press Council of Ireland.
In advertisements in today's newspapers, the inaugural Press Council of Ireland is asking for expressions of interest from people "representing a broad spectrum of civic society".
Suitable applicants should be people of "standing and integrity" who are free of any involvement in the press industry that might lead to a conflict of interest, the ad says.
The council, chaired by the former provost of Trinity College, Prof Thomas Mitchell, will be made up of 13 members - seven independent members drawn from outside the industry including the chairman, plus six industry members.
All appointments will be made by an Independent Appointments Committee and will be for three years, with the possibility of a second term. The deadline for nominations or expressions of interest is April 16th. The appointments committee will also receive nominations for the six industry seats.
The aim of the Press Council is to provide the public with an independent forum for resolving complaints against the press, and to help maintain high standards in journalism.
Meanwhile, the Defamation Bill, which allows for the establishment of the Press Council, is having a very slow passage through the Seanad, leading to increasing doubts that it will be passed through the Dáil before the general election. A spokeswoman for Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said last night it was the intention of the Minister that the Bill "will pass through the present Dáil". Asked if the Bill will be prioritised if it gets to the Dáil before dissolution she said "it has to get through the Seanad first".
The expectation is that there are probably only about 12 Dáil sitting days left in the lifetime of this Government, with the Dáil recessing for St Patrick's week and Easter, and the expectation that the general election will be called at the end of April.
During yesterday's Seanad debate on the Defamation Bill, concern was expressed about a provision in the Bill for a declaratory order where people can opt to have their names cleared and not become involved in the high cost of prosecuting a case.
Senator Jim Walsh (FF) said it was his understanding that if a declaratory order was made no compensation would follow, and if there was no financial penalty there was no incentive for journalists to be responsible. "If an independent press council found in favour of a plaintiff there should be some mechanisms to allow compensation to be paid. In the public mind the issuing of such an order would indicate defamation had taken place and one side was in the wrong."
Senator Walsh said no account had been taken in the legislation for people with limited resources who felt they had been defamed.
Responding, Minister of State for Justice, Frank Fahey, said if a plaintiff wanted a "quick fix" he or she would seek a declaratory order.
"That is his or her choice. If he or she wants to prove defamation he or she will choose another approach".
Senator Maurice Cummins (FG) withdrew an amendment that an article published in good faith should be viewed by the court as not being malicious, and this should be sufficient to proceed with the defence of reasonable publication.
He said he was withdrawing the amendment in view of articles published in recent days on the death of a young man in Lucan which he said contained several untruths, including the claim that he was known to the Garda.
"I had expected apologies to appear prominently in the newspapers that printed these lies. We saw on the television a grieving mother forced to defend the good name of her son."