Leveson findings: UK press could follow Irish model

The Press Council of Ireland and the Press Ombudsman was established by the newspaper industry in Ireland as a response to a government attempt to impose statutory regulation on the press.

The major newspapers set up a model which would be independent of the industry and government, but still enshrined in statute by the Irish parliament.

The Press Council is made up of seven independent figures and six people from the newspaper industry. It appoints an ombudsman, currently a former journalist, who makes all the initial calls on complaints and seeks to conciliate between papers and those seeking redress. The full council hears any appeals.

The new model has been “recognised” under statute, but is not a body “created by statute”.