Creedon and Waterford News and Star

The Press Ombudsman has decided that the Waterford News & Star took sufficient remedial action to resolve a complaint made by the President of the Waterford Council of Trade Unions (WCTU) that an article it published on 12 April last breached Principles 1 (Truth and Accuracy) and 2 (Distinguishing Fact and Comment) of the Code of Practice for Newspapers and Magazines. He decided not to uphold a complaint that the article breached Principle 4 (Respect for Rights) of the Code.

The President of WCTU, Mr Tom Creedon, complained that the article published in the ‘Phoenix’ opinion column of the newspaper misrepresented the facts of the matter when it stated that the WCTU had brought “disaster on this city by engaging in appalling planning appeals and obstructions.” Mr Creedon pointed out that the WCTU had been party to only one local planning matter in recent years, and sought the retraction of this statement.

Shortly after receipt of Mr Creedon’s complaint the newspaper published a correction accepting that the WCTU had involved itself in only one planning appeal locally, and the correction also referred to a letter from Mr Creedon, published on the same page, which set out his point of view.

While Mr Creedon did not accept the newspaper’s response to his complaint because he felt that harm was done to the Council by the claim made in the article, the prompt and prominent publication of this correction by the newspaper, together with its prominent publication of Mr Creedon’s letter, was considered by the Press Ombudsman to be sufficient remedial action on its part to resolve the complaints under Principle 1 and 2 of the Code.

There was no evidence to suggest that the material was knowingly published based on malicious misrepresentation or unfounded accusations, as would be required to justify a breach of Principle 4 of the Code.

15 September 2011