The Irish Press Ombudsman’s office is working well, but the inability to launch its own investigations or impose fines against newspapers may come under scrutiny in a post-Leveson era, according to University of Limerick academic Tom Felle, writing in a new book on the Leveson Inquiry.

The book, entitled After Leveson: The Future of British Journalism, was launched recently in London. It includes chapters from a ‘who’s who’ of British journalism academia and is edited by distinguished broadcaster and author John Mair.

The chapter on Ireland has been written by Tom Felle, lecturer in Journalism and New Media at UL and a former newspaper journalist. He looks at a range of pressures currently facing Irish newspapers, including circulation declines; the Kate Middleton controversy and subsequent threats by the Government to introduce privacy legislation; and a number of errors by Irish media and asks whether, following the Leveson report, the Irish Press Ombudsman and Press Council’s powers are strong enough.

Tom Felle said: “While intrusions of privacy have not extended as far as law breaking and phone tapping in Ireland, all Irish newspapers have made mistakes, and some have been guilty of gross errors. The fallout from Leveson in the UK is likely to have an impact in Ireland because of the close cultural links between the two islands, and their connected media landscapes."

“No system of press regulation can account for a news organisation that decides to be reckless, or willfully break the law. Ireland’s system of press regulation is, but despite its shortcomings it is finely balanced, culturally sensitive and country specific, essentially an exercise in soft power, and arguably the right fit."

“However if the ability to launch independent investigations and impose fines is in existence for Irish broadcasters and is introduced in the UK for the Press following Lord Justice Leveson’s report, it may be hard to argue against such a system for the press.”

 After Leveson? The future for British journalism, is edited by John Mair and is published by Abramis UK.