A free press is key to a healthy democracy

NOBODY, least of all this newspaper, would try to claim that we inhabit a perfect society.

There is much about modern-day Ireland that gives cause for concern, not least the housing crisis and the shocking state of the health service. But we can take solace from the fact that – unlike people in many parts of the world – we live in a democracy where these matters can be debated in an open and thorough manner.

And proper, independent journalism is a bulwark of that same democracy.

Only by holding political leaders and major business figures to account can we hope to have the sort of Ireland that we all deserve.

Nor should we need reminding that political and financial institutions alike must be kept under close scrutiny. Practically everyone among us has learnt some harsh lessons over the past decade about the perils of complacency in that regard.

Since its launch in 2006, the Irish Daily Mail has played a leading role in shining a light into the darkest of crevices. We are justifiably proud of our record in exposing hypocrisy, venality and wrongdoing among the rich and powerful.

Now the NewsBrands Ireland week-long Journalism Matters campaign is under way. This project involves national newspapers uniting to highlight the importance of a free press, which is now more crucial than ever.

It is important that we all acknowledge the role that journalism plays. Accordingly, there are specific measures the Government should put in place as a means of ensuring we can all continue to live in an open and properly accountable society.

The first move that needs to be introduced is a zero rate of VAT on newspapers in both their print and digital formats. Another initiative that should be brought in is State-funded apprenticeships in journalism. Yet it goes without saying that such a scheme would only work if the money came from a central pool. Direct government funding to individual media organisations would simply be a counterproductive exercise.

There will always be crooks, chancers and charlatans who need to be exposed. History shows us that many of these people stride the corridors of power or sit behind desks in the grandest of boardrooms.

Only strong, independent journalism can be relied upon to discover and reveal what really happens when it comes to the things that affect all our lives. But it is also of vital importance that there are plenty of media outlets in existence in the years ahead.

Otherwise, we risk free speech, diverging opinion and all the other things that help make up our democracy becoming things of the past.