1182/2022 - A Parent and Kerry’s Eye

The Press Ombudsman has not upheld a complaint that Kerry’s Eye breached Principle 1 (Truth and Accuracy) and Principle 4 (Respect for Rights) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland

On 2 December 2021, Kerry’s Eye published a report on the wearing of masks by pupils in primary schools under the heading “Minister ‘confident’ on new measures”. The report quoted the Minister for Education as saying “Primary school children from third class up who do not have an exemption will be sent home from school if they fail to wear face masks at school”.

A parent whose daughter’s school sent home six children for not wearing masks complained that the report ignored the fact that 1,300 parents had complained to the Parents’ Council and had made known their opposition to politicians, including the Taoiseach and the Minister for Education. She said the report was characterised as ”just a pro-mask piece, completely one-sided, no attempt to seek out the other side”.

As the complainant did not receive a response from the newspaper to her complaint she made a formal complaint to the Office of the Press Ombudsman stating that Principle 1 and Principle 4 of the Code of Practice had been breached.

Kerry’s Eye, in a submission to the Office of the Press Ombudsman, rejected any suggestion that the Code had been breached and stated that “The article accurately reports the situation as encountered in schools covered by the piece”.

As the complaint could not be resolved by conciliation it was forwarded to the Press Ombudsman for a decision.

Principle 1

The complainant failed to identify any inaccuracy in the report published on 2 December. She referred to the predominance of Covid transmissions in  homes rather than in schools, the limited efficacy of masks as a means of stopping infection and the wearing of masks causing anxiety in children. None of these matters were included in the report. A breach of Principle 1 can only be upheld about something included in a report, not something that might have been included or should have been included (as the complainant wished). For this reason I find that there was no breach of  Principle 1.

Principle 4

Principle 4 requires the press to take reasonable care in checking facts before publication. The complainant has failed to provide any evidence of a failure to check facts before publication. The majority of the article consisted of an interview with the Minister for Education. Most of the rest of the article consisted of quotes from parents and children on their attitudes to wearing masks in schools. What few facts were found in the report did not suggest any failure by Kerry’s Eye to check for accuracy before publication. For this reason I find there was no breach of Principle 4.

14 March 2022