Decided by the Press Ombudsman

The Press Ombudsman has decided to uphold a complaint by Councillor Toiréasa Ferris that The Irish Times breached Principle 1 (Truth and Accuracy) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland.

The Press Ombudsman has decided that sufficient action was offered to resolve a complaint by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre (Pavee Point) that the Irish Daily Mail breached Principle 1 (Truth and Accuracy) and Principle 8 (Prejudice) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland.

On 24 February 2016 Evoke.ie reported that Julie Duhy on behalf of her child had sued Ralph Lauren Ireland Limited for the faulty manufacture of baby pants which had resulted in the child sustaining red welts on her thighs. Ralph Lauren agreed to pay €17,500 plus legal costs. The article was accompanied by two photographs of the child at play.

On 23 February 2016 the Sun.ie reported that Julie Duhy on behalf of her child had sued Ralph Lauren Ireland Limited for the faulty manufacture of baby pants which had resulted in the child sustaining red welts on her thighs. Ralph Lauren agreed to pay €17,500 plus legal costs. The report published in the Sun.ie was accompanied by two photographs of the child.   

On 24 February 2016 the Irish Daily Mail reported that Julie Duhy on behalf of her child had sued Ralph Lauren Ireland Limited for the faulty manufacture of baby pants which had resulted in the child sustaining red welts on her thighs. Ralph Lauren agreed to pay €17,500 plus legal costs. The article which appeared on the front page and on page four was accompanied by two photographs of the child at play.

On 24 February 2016 the Irish Daily Star reported that Julie Duhy on behalf of her child had sued Ralph Lauren Ireland Limited for the faulty manufacture of baby pants which had resulted in the child sustaining red wields on her thighs. Ralph Lauren agreed to pay €17,500 plus legal costs. The article was accompanied by two photographs of the child, one at play, the other with her mother.

The Press Ombudsman has decided not to uphold a complaint made by the Munster Technology University Project that the Irishtimes.com breached Principle 1 (Truth and Accuracy) and Principle 2 (Distinguishing Fact and Comment).

On 20 March 2016 the Sunday Independent published an article under the headline “Pharmacies a prescription for prices that are far too high”. The thrust of the article was that profits made by retail pharmacies were very high and that consumers were paying too much for medicines. Support for this viewpoint came from comments by an academic expert in a Dublin university.

The Press Ombudsman has decided that the Sunday Independent offered to take sufficient remedial action to address a breach of Principle 8 (Prejudice) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland in response to a complaint by Mr Richard Bath.

The Press Ombudsman has decided not to uphold a complaint by Mr Hasan Selim.