Media must keep close eye on spin

■ The accusation that the Taoiseach is open to the charge of ‘spin’ in relation to the announcement of the National Development Plan raises questions about the coverage of the political discourse which goes back to the beginning of mass media.

The dominant discourse during the decade or so prior to the collapse and bailout in Ireland in 2010 is a classic case of the spin masking the underlying problems until ultimately the country went broke.

During the Celtic Tiger period post-2007 the Taoiseach in power then was perceived to be very good on media.

One commentator got so carried away then that he said that the then-Taoiseach should stay as Taoiseach “’till hell freezes over”.

Things have not gone that far now, but the Irish media is right to question the present Taoiseach in relation to spin.

We are all paying dearly for it not happening in former years.

A Leavy

Sutton, Dublin 13