OUTCOME OF COMPLAINTS
The Press Ombudsman's Office will, in the first instance, attempt to resolve your complaint by contacting the editor of the publication concerned. It will outline your complaint to the editor and seek to resolve it speedily by a process of conciliation. The conciliation process should not take more than about six weeks from the date of receipt of your complaint.
If conciliation is not possible, the Ombudsman will examine the case in detail and make a decision.
Resolved through Conciliation
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Deletion of Address
A man complained about the use of his address in an online article. The address was attributed in court proceedings to an individual who had formerly lived there but no longer did so. The publication removed the portion of the address that specifically identified the house, as agreed with the complainant.
Clarification online and in print and amendments to online article
Solicitors on behalf of a large European agribusiness and one of the largest beef processors in the UK and Ireland complained about an article which contained references to the company which they said were inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the publication and the complainants agreed on the text of a clarification to be published in print and online, together with agreed amendments to the online article.
Deletion of image
A man complained about the publication of an image of his house in the context of an article about solar panels. He said that he had not given his permission for the image of his house to be used. The publication deleted the image.
Correction of online article
A man complained about a report of the death of a friend during Storm Eowyn, which stated that his friend had been found in a shed and that Gardaí were investigating the matter. The complainant said that his friend had not been found in a shed. The complaint was resolved when the online publication deleted the article.
Apology and assurance about future coverage
A woman complained about an article that reported on the death of her father following a fire. The article reported about the emergency services being alerted to the fire, but she said that the report was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the publication apologised for the distress caused to the woman as a result of the article, and gave her an assurance that the editorial team would take the matters that she raised into consideration if reporting further on the tragedy.
Publication of letter to editor
A Professor in Business Information Systems complained about a headline to an article that asked the question ‘Is there a connection between a mobile phone and cancer?’ which ended with the statement that ‘Mobile phones do not cause cancer’, which the complainant said was factually untrue, scientifically false and misleading. The complaint was resolved when the publication published a lengthy letter from the complainant
Apology and deletion of articles
A woman complained about an article that reported on the death of her grandchild, whom she said was still-born. She said the article gave the wrong impression of how the baby died. The newspaper apologised for the distress caused and deleted the article.
Deletion of video
A woman complained about the publication of a video of an assault on her son as he was kicked on the ground which, she said, identified him. The video was deleted.
Apology and correction
A man complained about an article reporting on an inquest into the death of a man who died in an accident while he was cutting down trees. The complainant, who was with the man at the time of his death, said that the report of the inquest was inaccurate. The publication accepted that the article was inaccurate and published a correction stating that it regretted the report caused distress to the complainant.
Publication of correction
A woman complained about an article headlined ‘Locals strike back as fly-tippers leave rubbish heap in Cork’ The article was accompanied by a photograph of bags of rubbish with the caption ‘Found in the middle of Glounthaune village this morning. The complainant was a member of a local clean-up group, and complained that the article was inaccurate as the clean-up group had collected the litter, bagged it, and left it for collection by Cork County Council. The matter was resolved when the publication published a correction.
Publication of correction
A former member of the Oireachtas complained about an article which contained a statement that “Previously, politicians who gave birth while in office were forced to claim sick leave if they wanted to take time off to look after their newborns.” She said the statement was inaccurate. The matter was resolved when the publication published a correction
Meeting with editor
The CEO of a GAA Board submitted a complaint about an article that reported on alleged difficulties which it stated were being experienced by the Board. The complaint was resolved when the editor met with the complainant to discuss the matters raised by him.
Deletion of article following interview
A woman complained about the publication of an interview which she did with a freelance journalist, which was then published by the newspaper. She said the article published was not a reflection of the interview that she gave, and contained a number of inaccuracies. The newspaper deleted the article.
Publication of image from RIP.ie – deletion and apology
A woman complained about the publication of an image of her late husband, which was taken from the website RIP.ie. On foot of the complaint the publication deleted the image and apologised for the upset caused to the family.
Inaccuracy – publication of online clarification
A communications company complained about an online article written about one of its clients, which it said was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
Inaccuracy – publication of letter
A representative from the Alliance for Insurance Reform complained about an article which reported on personal injury awards for minor injuries, which it said was inaccurate. The complainant submitted a letter for publication and the newspaper published it.
Inaccurate statistics – amendment of online article, insertion of explanatory note at end, publication of correction in print and letter from complainant.
A Programme Director in the School of Natural Sciences in TCD complained about an article that included statistics on population density, which he said was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the editor amended the online article, added an explanatory note at the end, published a print correction and published a letter from the complainant.
Excessive details of means of suicide – deletion of material
Headline, the national media organisation whose goal is the responsible reporting and representation of mental illness and suicide by the media, complained about an article which it said contained explicit details of self-harm and suicide method. The publication removed the statements about which Headline complained.
Report of Council meeting – article deleted
A man complained about an article which reported on a discussion at a Council meeting on a possible site for accommodation for members of the travelling community. The complaint resolved when the editor deleted the article.
Use of language - acknowledgement of crux of complaint and undertaken about future reporting on the matter
The Sexual Violence Centre Cork, which provides services to survivors of child sexual abuse, complained about a number of articles which, when reporting on a court case following the conviction of a man for child sexual abuse,
carried a headline that stated that the man was in possession of thousands of 'child porn images’. The Centre complained that the phrase used had a minimising influence on the crime and the victims of the crime.
The matter was resolved when the editors accepted the point put forward by the Centre and said that they would bear the complainants' views in mind when reporting on such matters in the future.
Breach of family's privacy - publication of apology and correction
A family complained when a newspaper published an article about their deceased father, which included a photograph of the man attributed remarks to him although he had been dead for 27 years.
The newspaper published an apology to the family stating that the incident described in the article did not happen, that the comments attributed to the man were not made by him,
that the piece was intended to be an April Fool’s joke and that this was pointed out to readers the following day.
Accuracy of article - publication of clarification and amendment of online article
An information officer with the Citizens Information Service complained about an article reporting on how children born in Ireland whose parents are not Irish citizens can gain citizenship, which he said was inaccurate.
The publication accepted that its report had omitted an essential detail of the requirements for citizenship, amended the online article and added a clarification to the article.
Accuracy of article - publication of letter
A man complained about the accuracy of an article reporting on the EU's €750 billion Recovery Fund, which he said was significantly distorted as it did not accurately reflect the true situation.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the complainant.
Accuracy of article - publication of letter
A man complained about an article which contained a reference to the number of deaths that took place in mines, which the man said gave the inaccurate impression that all of the deaths reported were caused by mining activity,
which he said was not the case. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the man.
Publication of personal information - amendment of online article
A woman complained about a court report which contained her full name and address and details in relation to her daughter, following an award made to her daughter.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted some of the personal information complained about.
Court report - interview with complainant
A woman complained about an article which reported on the conviction of her brother. She complained that her brother suffered from mental health difficulties and that publication of the article had affected his mental health. The newspaper explained the background to the publication of the article and offered to publish an interview with the woman in which she could highlight the difficlties encountered by her brother as outlined in her complaint, an offer which was taken up by the woman.
Accuracy of article - publication of letter
A man complained about the accuracy of an article which reported on the number of children detained in industrial schools and reformatories. The complaint was resolved with the publication of a letter to the editor.
Accuracy of article - publication of letter
Ryanair complained about an article headlined ‘Holiday Chaos as Ryanair Pilots Announce Strike’ which it said inaccurately reflected the true position. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the complainants.
Accuracy of article - publication of clarification
A woman complained about an article which she said did not explain to readers that wind energy is variable. The editor amended the online article and published a clarification.
Accuracy of headline - deletion of online article and apology
A woman complained about the headline to an article following injuries her brother sustained in an accident abroad. The editor deleted the article from its website, removed it from its social media platforms and apologised for the upset caused
Accuracy of a podcast - statement of complaint read out on future podcast
Mr Michael Reade, the presenter of a current affairs programme on the radio station LMFM, complained about an Irish Times’ Women’s Podcast of 13 June 2019 which reported on a radio interview he carried out with a newly elected councillor, which he said distorted and took out of context his line of questioning of the councillor. The complaint was resolved when Mr Reade had his statement of complaint read out on the Women’s Podcast on 25 July 2018, and the original podcast was linked to that podcast. The podcast can be heard at https://soundcloud.com/irishtimes-women/ep-324-why-catcalling-is-a-problem
Accuracy of report about the murder of a man - clarification and undertaking
A woman complained about the accuracy of an article in the Sunday World which reported on a man who was convicted of the murder of her son. The complaint was resolved when the editor offered to publish a clarification in relation to some of the statements raised by the complainant, and gave an undertaking not to republish some of the other details complained about.
Accuracy of headline - amendment
A man complained about the accuracy of the headline to an article in Thejournal.ie in relation to food intolerance testing kits. The complaint was resolved when Thejournal.ie amended the headline.
Accuracy of article - clarification
A man complained about an article in the Sunday Independent’s Life Magazine which reported that the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) had stated that food intolerance tests cannot diagnose food intolerance conditions and advised the public not to act on test results without expert advice. The complaint was resolved when the magazine published the following statement:
“An article in Life magazine in March last reported on a statement by the HPRA that food intolerance tests “alone” cannot diagnose food intolerance and that the public should not act on test results without expert advice. Fitzwilliam FoodTEST, while not mentioned in the article, has asked us to clarify that their tests are CE compliant and that they have always conformed to the HPRA regulations, as per a statement on their website.”
Inaccurate report of seminar - amendment of online article
A woman complained about an online article published by Trinity News that reported on a seminar held in Trinity College headlined “Do you have the TEDx Factor?” which she said inaccurately reported what she had said at the seminar. The complaint was resolved when the magazine amended the online article.
Publication of woman's photograph - explanation and offer of right of reply
A woman complained about the publication of her photograph alongside that of her husband which was included in a report published by the Sunday World of a court case involving her husband. The complaint was resolved when the editor explained that the woman had previously given her permission for the newspaper to take the photograph and offered to publish a right of reply from her in response to her complaint about the article’s content.
Publication of picture of woman in custody - photograph deleted
A firm of solicitors complained a behalf of a woman following the publication of her photograph by the Herald.ie, which was taken while she was in custody inside a police van, following a court case where she was charged with the murder. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted the photograph from Herald.ie
Publication of clarification and amendment of online article
A woman complained about an article reporting on the mega watts of electricity wind farms produce, which she said did not differentiate between variable wind energy and dispatchable wind energy. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification in print and online, and amended its online article.
Publication of article following the death of a man who was knocked down and killed while out walking - apology
A woman complained about an article published by Independent.ie which reported on the death of her late uncle, who was knocked down by a car. The article was in response to an interview with the man who drove the car, who was advising on the importance of pedestrians wearing hi-vis jackets or bright coloured clothing while walking. The woman complained about the level of detail in the article relating to her late uncle’s death, which she said was very upsetting for the family. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an online apology as follows:
“On 23 August 2017 we published an article related to a fatal road accident in Co Roscommon which occurred on the 8 December 2016. We very much regret that this article caused distress and great upset to the family of the late Michael O’Gara by including excessive detail in relation to the accident. We wish to apologise sincerely for the publication of this article and for the upset that it caused.”
Publication of a woman's address in a court report following her evidence in court - meeting and apology
A woman complained about a court report in the Longford Leader which gave her name and address after she gave evidence following a break-in at her house. The complaint was resolved when the editor met the complainant and her husband.
Publication of clarification by the Evening Echo following publication of a eulogy given by the sister of a woman who was murdered
A woman complained about an article published by the Evening Echo following a eulogy which she gave at the funeral of her sister, who had been murdered. She complained that the reporting of the eulogy was deeply upsetting for her and her family, and that the newspaper had misquoted the words that she had used, thereby changing the meaning of what she had said. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating what the complainant actually said in the eulogy.
Publication of a clarification by the Irish Examiner regarding a eulogy
A woman complained about an article published by the Irish Examiner following a eulogy which she gave at the funeral of her sister, who had been murdered. She complained that the reporting of the eulogy was deeply upsetting for her and her family, and that the newspaper had misquoted the words that she had used, thereby changing the meaning of what she had said. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating what the complainant actually said in the eulogy.
Apology by the Sunday World for republication of inaccurate material and undertaking about future coverage
A woman complained that an article reporting on the arrest of a man in relation to the murder of her son republished a statement about her son which she said was inaccurate and for which the newspaper had previously published a correction. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper amended the online article and wrote a letter to the mother apologising for the republication of the information and gave an undertaking that it would not be republished.
Apology by the Sunday World for use of photograph and deletion of photograph online
A woman complained about an article reporting on the murder of her father, which showed a picture of her father naked, bound and gagged. The complaint was resolved when the editor deleted the photograph from the newspaper’s digital sites and Facebook, and apologised to the family for using the photograph and for the distress that its use caused. The editor guaranteed that the photograph would not be used again.
Amendment of online article by the Irish Daily Mail and undertaking about future coverage
A woman complained that an article reporting on the arrest of a man in relation to the murder of her brother contained inaccurate information about the circumstances surrounding her brother’s death. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper amended the online article and undertook to take her concerns into account when considering publication of any future material concerning the fatal shooting of her brother.
Amendment of online article by the Sunday World and publication of clarification
A man complained about the headline to an article that read “Gardai seize machine gun and shotgun after cannabis grow house raid” which went on to state that “…in a ‘follow-up’ search to the growhouse raid, Gardai seized a range of firearms and cocaine”. The man complained that while he was involved in the cannabis grow-house raid, the second raid was totally unrelated to the first raid, and the article may have given the impression that he was somehow linked to the second raid. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper amended the article and published the following clarification at the bottom:
*The original version of this article stated that gardai seized a range of firearms and drugs in a follow-up search after raiding a cannabis grow-house in Limerick. We have been informed that the guns and cocaine discovered in the follow-up search were unrelated to the grow-house raid in Adare and that the two raids were made independently of each other. We are happy to clarify this and regret any confusion.”
Amendment of online article by the Independent.ie
Mr Peter Heimlich complained about an article published by Independent.ie about the death of his father, Henry Heimlich, the inventor of the “Heimlich manoeuvre”. Mr Heimlich complained about a number of statements in the article including the headline, which read “ Henry Heimlich – surgeon who invented chest thrust”, which he said should have referred to “abdominal thrust”. The complaint was resolved when Independent.ie amended its online article to address the matters about which Mr Heimlich complained.
Amendment of online article by the Irish Independent and publication of correction
A man complained about a statement in an article published by the Irish Independent about an increase in the incidence of mumps in Ireland which read that a HSE spokesman had said that “most (of those infected) had not had the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine”. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted the sentence from its online article and published a correction in print and online.
A man and the Irish Independent - publication of correction and apology
A man complained that an article published by the Irish Independent based on a story written by him did not carry his byline. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction and apology stating that the article should have carried his byline.
The Irish Prison Service and the Sunday World - undertaking about future coverage following meeting with editorial team
The Irish Prison Service complained about an article published by the Sunday World which reported in detail on a complaint made by a prisoner against a member of the prison staff. The matter was resolved when representatives of the prison service met with the newspaper’s senior editorial staff and agreement was reached that the newspaper would put in place new procedures to ensure that in future contact would be made with the prison authorities prior to the publication of any article about the prison service.
A woman and The Herald - publication of correction
A woman complained about an article published online by The Herald which referred to her late son as a “drug dealer”. The woman said her son had no convictions for drug dealing. The complaint was resolved when The Herald published a correction stating that the woman’s son had no criminal conviction for drug offences, and apologised for the distress caused by the article.
A woman and the Sunday World - publication of correction
A woman complained about an article published online by the Sunday World which referred to her late son as a “drug dealer”. The woman said her son had no convictions for drug dealing. The complaint was resolved when the Sunday World published an online correction stating that the woman’s son had no criminal conviction for drug offences, and apologised for the distress caused by the article.
A woman and the Irish Independent - amendment of online article
A woman complained about an article published by the Irish Independent which reported on a civil action which she had taken on behalf of her young child. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper explained that it had reported on a case that was conducted in open court and upon which no reporting restrictions had been imposed. As a gesture of goodwill it deleted the child's name and address from the online article.
A woman and The Herald - deletion of online article
A woman complained about an article published in the Herald which reported on a civil action which she had taken on behalf of her young child. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted the online article.
A woman and The Irish Times - explanation behind the publication of an article
A woman complained about an article published in The Irish Times on a civil action which she had taken on behalf of her young child. The complaint was resolved when the editor deleted the online version of the article. The editor explained to the woman that although the case had been heard in open court and the newspaper was free to report on the proceedings, had the woman’s legal team made a request that the case should not be reported the newspaper would have agreed to the request in the particular circumstances.
A woman and TheJournal.ie - amendment of online article
A woman complained about an article published in TheJournal.ie which reported on a civil action which she had taken on behalf of her young child. The complaint was resolved when the editor explained that the publication had reported only on the facts of the case as presented in court. In order to resolve the matter, she undertook to delete the exact details of the child's address from the online article.
Mr Gerry Adams TD and the Irish Independent - publication of apology and clarification
Mr Adams complained about an article published in the Irish Independent that stated that he had joked about the editor of the Irish Independent being held at gunpoint. The complaint was resolved when the Irish Independent published, in print and online, the following clarification and apology:
“Clarification: Gerry Adams TD
In an article published on 6th November 1015 it was stated that Gerry Adams, during a speech given at a fundraiser in New York, “…. joked about the editor of the Irish Independent being held at gunpoint.” We wish to clarify that Mr Adams’ did not joke about holding the editor of the Irish Independent at gunpoint. He was in fact referring to an historical event which occurred almost a century ago during the War of Independence. We apologise to Mr Adams and we are happy to clarify this.”
A man and Independent.ie - fee for use of photograph
A man complained that Independent.ie published a photograph which belonged to him without his permission and without accreditation. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper contacted the complainant directly and offered him an appropriate fee for the use of the photograph.
Mr Dermot Desmond and The Irish Times - publication of correction and amendment of online article
Mr Dermot Desmond complained about an article published by The Irish Times in print and online headlined “Desmond set for legal battle over Caribbean resort”, the contents of which he said were inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction in its print edition, and re-wrote the online article to inform readers that there was no court case schedule between IIU and Canouan Resorts Development.
Ms Carole O'Reilly and the Irish Examiner - publication of clarification and apology
Carole O’Reilly complained about an article in the Irish Examiner which reported on an interview which she gave to the newspaper following her humanist wedding. She said that the article distorted comments made by her and her husband, and did not properly or accurately reflect their views and experiences on a number of matters. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a statement clarifying a number of issues reported in the article. It also apologised to Ms O’Reilly and her husband for any upset that the article may have caused them or their families.
Paul Murphy TD and Irish Examiner - publication of clarification
Deputy Paul Murphy complained about the headline to a front page article in the Irish Examiner which read “TD defends Higgins Abusers”. The article reported on the verbal abuse of President Michael D Higgins. Deputy Murphy complained that the headline was inaccurate and misleading because he had not defended the verbal abuse of the President, but the right of people to protest. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification of the matter.
Gerry Adams TD and the Irish Independent - publication of apology
Deputy Gerry Adams’ solicitors complained about the publication of a previous decision of the Press Ombudsman/Press Council in the Irish Independent, which was published further back in the newspaper than the original article which was the subject matter of the complaint. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a statement apologising for the error.
NAMA and the Irish Daily Mirror - publication of clarification
NAMA complained about a headline to an article published in the Irish Daily Mirror which read “KILLED BY NAMA Farmer who took his own life was ‘driven to the end of his tether’ by bad bank”, following the death by suicide of a man who had had dealings with NAMA. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that the headline was a comment by the newspaper of the pressure felt by the deceased, and not a statement of fact.
Louise Gilroy and The Irish Times - publication of statement
Louise Gilroy complained about an article published in The Irish Times which reported on the contents of a letter of resignation which she had written, which she said was not intended for circulation beyond a small group of people. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a statement, both in its print edition and online, that Ms Gilroy had not been responsible for passing her letter of resignation on to the newspaper, and that she did not communicate with the newspaper about the matter.
The Journal Media Limited and The Irish Times - publication of correction online
The Journal Media Ltd. complained about an article in The Irish Times, that stated that a New York venture capital fund which had negotiated Luxembourg tax agreements had a 25 per cent shareholding in its news website TheJournal.ie, which they said was not true. The Irish Times accepted that the statement was an error and agreed to republish, on the homepage of its website, a correction that had already been published in the print edition.
Mr Michael Grange and the Irish Independent - publication of clarification and deleetion of online article
Mr Michael Grange complained about a report in the Irish Independent of a High Court case he took against the Commission for Public Service Appointments, which he said was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification and deleted the article from its website.
Motorsport Ireland complained about an article in the Irish Daily Mail which reported on an accident at the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland in which three spectators died. Motorsport Ireland complained that the headline to the article suggested that the driver of the rally car was to blame for what happened. The complaint was resolved when the paper published a clarification and apologised if anyone was hurt or offended by the wording of the heading.
A descendant of one of the leaders of the l916 Rising complained about a headline to two articles published by the Irish Independent that statements she made to a journalist were reported as though she were speaking on behalf of the descendants of the Rising, when she was speaking in a personal capacity and not on behalf of anyone else. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted the articles from its website.
A man complained about an article in The Argus which reported that a Minister of State had lost her job over her stance on ‘the recent abortion referendum’, when there was no such referendum. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that the reference should have been to the ’Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act.A woman complained about an article that reported on the arrest of a man in connection with the overnight disappearance of her daughter. The complaint was resolved when the editor wrote a letter to the mother apologising for the distress caused by the article, and undertook not to publish any further articles about the matter.
The Ambassador of Israel complained about an article in The Irish Times regarding the newspaper’s coverage of Israel, which he said was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the editor offered to publish a letter from the Ambassador, and invited him to call into The Irish Times to discuss all matters of concern to him
A man complained about an article about fracking in the Irish Independent, which he said contained inaccurate references to a number of international research reports. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
Mr Barry Hazel complained about an article published in the Irish Independent about the reaction of parents to a threatened teachers’ pay dispute. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an article from the complainant.
The parents of a teenager complained about an article in the Sunday World about the Kilkenny minor camogie team and drinking, which included a photograph with the caption “celebrations on the team bus in pics taken from Facebook”. The photograph included a picture of their daughter who, they said, although her face was pixelated, was identifiable from the clothes she was wearing. They also complained that the photograph was not taken on the team bus, as reported, but in the back of a taxi. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that the picture was not taken on the team bus but in the back of an 8-seater taxi, and that neither the photograph nor the article were meant to infer that the girls in question were drinking alcohol.
Mrs Catherine Griffin complained about an article in The Corkman that reported on the death of her son which contained a headline stating “Brian Griffin died after row”. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that Mr Griffin had not died as a result of the row, and apologised to the family for any distress caused.
Mrs Doreen Healy complained about an article the Irish Examiner following the inquest into the death of her daughter following her fall from a playground ride outside the 02 in Dublin, which reported on the findings of the toxicology report following her death. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted its online edition of the article.
Mrs Doreen Healy complained about articles published in the Irish Sun, the Irish Independent and the Herald, following the inquest into the death of her daughter after her fall from a playground ride outside the 02 in Dublin, which reported on the findings of the toxicology report following her death. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that it had been pointed out that the conclusions reported were not contained in the toxicology report, and that the inquest found that Ms Healy died of misadventure following her fall. It also apologised to the family for the distress caused by the report.
Mr David Elio Malocco complained about an article in the Irish Independent that included a statement that he did not respond to attempts by the newspaper to contact him, which he said was untrue. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that Mr Malocco did respond but due to a production error his response was not printed. It also apologised to Mr Malocco for the error.
A man complained that a photograph of his father, who died in 2010, was published in The Irish Times in 2013. The complaint was speedily resolved when the newspaper traced the origins of the photograph and confirmed to the complainant that the photograph was not one of his late father, as it had been taken in a hospital in the United States in 2007.
Mrs Doreen Healy complained about an article published in the Irish Independent following the inquest into the death of her daughter following her fall from a playground ride outside the 02 in Dublin, which reported on the findings of the toxicology report following her death. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that it had been pointed out that the conclusions reported were not contained in the toxicology report, and that the inquest found that Ms Healy died of misadventure, following her fall. It also apologised to the family for the distress caused by the report.
A man complained about an inaccuracy contained in a book review in the Irish Examiner, which misquoted a reference from the book. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.
Mr Stephen Conway complained about an article published in the Wexford Echo relating to the sudden death of his mother which contained a headline that read “FOUL PLAY RULED OUT”, which he said was deeply distressing for the grieving family. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an apology stating that they understood that foul play was not suspected in the death of the complainant’s mother.
The Department of Finance complained about an article published in the Sunday Independent which it said contained significant and misleading inaccuracies regarding the role of the European Central Bank in the release of information to journalists about the liquidation of the former Anglo Irish Bank under the Freedom of Information Act. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that the ECB did not and could not interfere with the release of information under the Freedom of Information Act, and that all decisions about such releases are a matter entirely for the Department of Finance.
A man complained about the publication of a picture of him in the Irish Independent while he pushed his car during heavy flooding. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper, while maintaining that it had not breached the Code, apologised to the complainant if the picture caused personal distress to him. It also undertook to remove the image from its archives and not to use it again.
Ms Deirdre Lowney complained about an article in the Irish Independent about the death of her father as a result of a road traffic accident, which reported that the woman’s father and his partner had three children, when in fact the partner was not the children’s mother. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.
Ms Carol Hanney complained about a number of articles published in the Irish Daily Mail which reported on her proposed assignment within the Department of Education and Skills, which included a reference to her husband, the Tánaiste, Mr Eamon Gilmore. She complained that the articles were unfair and inaccurate and were designed to convey the impression that she had been given special treatment because of her husband’s political office. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a comprehensive clarification and apology.
The mother of a young man who died tragically complained about a statement in an article in the Irish Examiner about the death of another young person by suicide which stated that Gardai were examining a link between the two deaths. She complained that there was no evidence that her son died by suicide. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction and apology to the family, deleted the online article from its archive and requested Google to remove a headline link about which she had also complained.
A complaint from Mr Tom Cooper about a statement in an article published in the Sunday Independent which said that he was “a founder of the Irish National Congress” was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
A complaint about an article in The Irish Times which stated that Tel Aviv was the capital of Israel was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
The legal adviser to the Houses of the Oireachtas complained about an article in the Irish Mail on Sunday headlined ‘Secret deal gives TDs €3m a year raise’, which also referred to Oireachtas envelopes ‘stolen’ by politicians. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.
A man complained about an article in the Irish Examiner which purported to show that 93% of the public decried the closure of the Irish embassy in the Vatican, but the underlying data for the analysis was drawn from Freedom of Information requests to the Department of Foreign Affairs which revealed that 102 emails were received by the Department of which 93% were critical of the decision. The matter was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification in its print and online editions and sent the complainant a copy to post to his personal blog.
A complaint was received about an article in the Irish Independent which the complainant said contained an inaccurate statement from a Government Minister of State. The matter was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the Minister of State.
The Principal of Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál in Blarney, Co Cork, complained when the 2012 school league tables were published in The Irish Times and mistakenly reported that no students from his school went to University College Cork in 2012. The matter was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.
A family who had requested privacy following the murder of a family member complained that a newspaper was continuing to make contact with a family member, despite their request for privacy. The matter was resolved when the newspaper apologised for the further intrusion and gave an undertaking to circulate his views to all relevant executives.
A mother complained when an article in the Leitrim Observer reported that her son, who had died suddenly, died at home, when this was not the case. The matter was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
Solicitors for Ronan Keating complained about an article published in the Irish Mail on Sunday, which they said was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction and apology.
Solicitors for a Mr Dunne complained about the contents of an article in the Evening Herald in relation to a court case in which Mr Dunne was involved following charges against him for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, which were dismissed. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification stating that Mr Dunne had been fully acquitted of the charges against him.
Solicitors for the former Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen, complained about an article published in the Irish Mail on Sunday about Mr Cowen’s attendance at a course in Stanford University, USA. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification and apology.
A mother complained about an article in the Laois Nationalist about the sudden death of her teenage son because the article reported that her son’s death was being examined in connection with another local suicide, which she said was untrue. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
A woman who was the victim of serious offences that featured in a highly publicised court case over 15 years ago contacted the office to complain about the publication of an article in a local newspaper about another court case involving the man convicted of her assault. She complained that the republication of material from the earlier case in this article was extremely distressing for her and her young child. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper sent her a private letter of apology.
Senator Ronan Mullen complained about the accuracy of an article published in The Irish Times, and the publication of a subsequent letter to the editor from him, about a meeting that took place in Dáil Éireann between Oireachtas members and lobbyists seeking the legalisation of abortion in certain circumstances. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an apology on 12 November 2012 stating that the article was not complete and was unfair to Senator Mullen, and it acknowledged that an addendum comment placed beneath his letter to the editor did not clarify his position.
A local authority complained about an article in The Irish Times which it said contained a factually incorrect statement. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
A man complained about the accuracy of a headline to an article in the Irish Mail on Sunday which stated that a leaflet sent to Irish households during the referendum campaign on the fiscal compact was produced and distributed by ‘UKIP’ when it was produced and distributed by the complainant’s party, ‘Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group’ (EFD). The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.
The Teaching Council complained about the publication of a decision of the Press Ombudsman by the Irish Independent, which it said did not comply with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Newspapers and Magazines. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a follow-up article from the complainants.
A man complained through his solicitors that the Irish Sun incorrectly attributed to him descriptions of an unexplained noise in the Beaufort area of County Kerry. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction and apology stating that the descriptions attributed to the man were incorrect.
A domiciliary midwife complained about the accuracy of an article in The Irish Times about a court case in which she was involved regarding an inquiry into allegations of professional misconduct by her. The newspaper published a correction of its error.
Solicitors acting for an international company made a complaint about an article which contained a statement about the company which they said was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.
A man complained about the publication of his photograph which accompanied an article that was written about him. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper arranged to have the complainant’s photograph removed from its online site.
A local authority complained about an article in The Irish Times which it said contained a factually incorrect statement. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
A man complained about an article in the Irish Independent which contained several statements that he said were untrue or highly misleading. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the complainant outlining his side of the situation.
A man complained about an article published in The Irish Catholic which stated that he was strongly opposed to Ireland’s blasphemy law, which he said was inaccurate. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the complainant setting out his views on the matter.
A complaint about an article published in the Evening Herald about the death of a young man in tragic circumstances, which associated the criminal past of another man of the same name to the dead man, was resolved when the newspaper accepted that the article contained a number of factual inaccuracies and published a clarification which included an apology to the family for any distress caused by the errors.
A complaint about the effects of a report about a court case that stated that the defendant had been acting violently towards Gardai, published in The Kerryman, was resolved when the editor of the newspaper wrote a private letter to the complainant acknowledging the distress that the report had inadvertently caused.
A complaint about an article published in The Sunday Times about a beneficial owner of a share in a property trust and her husband was resolved when the newspaper published a right of reply from her.
A complaint about the accuracy of an article in the online edition of the New Ross Standard concerning plans for an all-island memorial to honour the victims of the Great Famine was resolved when the newspaper deleted the article from its website.
Reverend Guy Chave-Cox and his wife, Mrs Heather Chave-Cox, complained about an article published in The Irish Times in August 2010 concerning property at Rosses Point, County Sligo, belonging to the Middleton Estate. Mrs Heather Chave-Cox is a shareholder in the Middleton Estate. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published the following clarification:
“In an article in the edition of August 23rd last, concerning property at Rosses Point, Co Sligo, it was stated that a Church of England vicar, Reverend Chave-Cox and his wife were claiming rights to property there through an interest in the Middleton Estate. Revd Guy Chave-Cox has not laid claim to any land in Rosses Point. In fact, it is Mrs Chave-Cox only who has an interest in the Middleton Estate.
It was also stated that a number of home-owners received solicitors’ letters containing a 28-day notice to quit their property.
Only one such letter was sent and it was not issued due to any non-ppayment of ground rent. Solicitors P O’Connor and Son have confirmed that Mr Joe Carter of Howley Carter & Co. does not represent the recipient of any 28-day notice letter.
The article also stated that Mrs Chave-Cox was at Rosses Point checking what land the Middleton Estate has rights to. Mrs Chave-Cox has pointed out that she took measurements of buildings in need of repair whilst in the locality on holiday with her family.
The article stated correctly that most of the Middleton family left Ireland up to 90 years ago. Mrs Chave-Cox has pointed out that the majority holding of the estate was in Irish hands less than 20 years ago.
Any distress caused by the error is regretted.”
A man complained about material contained in an online section of the Sligo Weekender, which he said was inaccurate. The editor immediately deleted the material from the website.
A couple complained about the publication of their wedding photograph by the Irish Examiner following their civil wedding, when they were given an undertaking by the photographer present on the day that it would not be published. The complaint was satisfactorily resolved when the editor wrote directly to the couple explaining how the error happened and apologised for it and erased the photographs from its archive. He also undertook to provide copies of the photographs to the couple as a gesture of goodwill.
A complaint was received on behalf of a convicted paedophile whose address was published in the News of the World. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper advised that it had no plans to publish any further articles about the man in question.
A man complained about an article in the “I Spy” column of the Irish Independent which he believed to be inaccurate and offensive. The complaint was satisfactorily resolved when the newspaper published a clarification and apology for any offence caused by the article.
A man complained about an article in the Irish Sun which published a photograph of him to illustrate an article highly critical of another person with the same name. The complaint was satisfactorily resolved the newspaper published a clarification.
A sporting organization complained that a headline to an article published in the Irish Daily Mail relating to the pricing of its premium level tickets was inaccurate. The complaint was satisfactorily resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
A family complained about the publication of a piece in the Connaught Telegraph about the circumstances surrounding the recent death of their late son and brother. The complaint was satisfactorily resolved when the editor wrote a personal letter of apology to the family for any distress caused.
A family complained about an article relating to the circumstances surrounding the death of two family members some 30 years previously. Reference to the deaths was made in the context of an article about the recent imprisonment of the person responsible. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
A man complained about the accuracy of a report published in the Irish Independent relating to an ongoing dispute between the Government and pharmacists. The newspaper initially offered to publish a letter from the complainant giving his side of the story, but the complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to contact the complainant by telephone to hear his side of the argument.
A businessman complained through his solicitors about three articles published in the Irish Mail on Sunday which he said contained personal and intimate information and (which he said contained) a number of factual inaccuracies which were damaging to his personal and professional reputation. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper, after being contacted by the Office of the Press Ombudsman, successfully concluded direct negotiations with the complainant’s solicitors.
A man complained about an article published in the Sunday Tribune which he said gave an incorrect account of his role in a dispute involving the company for which he worked. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification.
A family complained about an article published in the Irish Sunday Mirror about the death of their son in tragic and controversial circumstances, which included a photograph of their dead son. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification and apologised for any upset caused.
The CEO of a company complained that an article about a housing project initiated by his company portrayed a damaging, unfair and untruthful public perception of his organisation, and that it contained a number of inaccuracies and misleading statements. The complaint was resolved when the editor of the newspaper met with the complainant and subsequently visited a number of the company’s housing projects.
A family complained about two articles published in the Sunday Independent relating to the death of their son in tragic and controversial circumstances. The complaints were resolved when the newspaper published a statement expressing regret for any upset caused to the family.
A man complained about an article which he believed contained an incorrect interpretation of the Koran. The complaint was speedily resolved when the newspaper published a letter from the complainant, setting out his side of the story, in its “Letters to the Editor” page.
A woman complained that a photograph of her husband was published in error by the Irish Daily Star. The photograph was accompanied by an article which stated that he was the father of a named woman whose photograph was also published. The complaint was resolved after the newspaper apologised directly to the complainant for the error.
A man complained that an article published in The Irish Times contained a number of inaccuracies about his company’s business in relation to its share dealings. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an apology and a correction.
A man complained that a report in the Irish Examiner contained an inaccuracy in relation to Garda action following a murder in a residential area. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.
A man complained about an article regarding an EU Commission Report that he considered was unfair and inaccurate . The newspaper offered to give the complainant a right of reply by publishing a letter to the editor. While the complainant did not take up the offer, the complaint was resolved when a letter from him, setting out his views on the article under complaint, was sent to the newspaper’s editor for consideration in the context of any future coverage of the matters in question.
A woman complained about a number of statements, which she said were inaccurate or misleading, contained in an article about foreign adoptions published in the Irish Independent. The complaint was resolved when the newspaper and the complainant agreed to the publication of a letter from her setting out her views on the matter.
A man complained that an article published in The Kerryman which included a reference to him contained a number of inaccuracies. The complaint was resolved satisfactory when the newspaper very swiftly gave an undertaking to publish a further article clarifying the matters under complaint.
A man complained through his solicitors about an item which appeared in the newspaper referring to the circumstances in which his late wife was taken to hospital, which he said caused him and his family deep upset and severe insult.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification and an apology for any offence caused to the woman’s relatives and friends.
A company complained that an article published by the newspaper alleged that its website was owned by a former director of the company who no longer had any involvement with the business.
The newspaper had, in response to a direct complaint from the company some weeks prior to its approach to the Office of the Press Ombudsman, immediately deleted the article from its website and marked its cuttings library accordingly. When the complainant searched the internet some weeks later she accessed the article on an external website. On receipt of this further complaint the newspaper immediately undertook to contact the website in question, and the complainant accepted that the newspaper had done everything within its power to have the article deleted from all external websites.
A husband and wife complained about the publication of their names and their children’s names and their full address by the newspaper following an incident in which they were the victims of criminal activity.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper deleted the article from its website and from Google’s cached pages.
A man complained about calls to his family home by one of the newspaper’s reporters following the death of his daughter in tragic circumstances.
The newspaper explained the background to the newspaper’s efforts to contact the complainant, and indicated that it was never its intention to harass the complainant or his family.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper immediately confirmed that it would not make any further attempts to contact the complainant or his family.
A man complained about a particular reference to him in an article which he said was derogatory and embarrassing. While the newspaper offered to publish a letter from the complainant, this offer was not accepted by him.
The newspaper published an item which accepted that the language used was offensive and unwarranted. The man complained about the size and positioning of the item on the page, and the complaint was resolved when the paper re-published the item more prominently the following week after representations were made to this effect.
A man complained about a front page article headlined “Orange marches spark attacks on police officers” published in the Sunday Times on 13 July which, he believed, gave a misleading and inaccurate impression of what occurred on the day in question.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper wrote to the complainant accepting that part of the article may have been misleading, and by subsequently publishing an agreed correction.
A man complained through his solicitors that an article published by the Irish Daily Mail made an inaccurate report of the death of his late wife.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification which was acceptable to the complainant.
A man complained about three articles published by the Sunday Tribune between 2001 and 2003, which he felt affected his good name and which remained available on the newspaper’s website.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper very speedily agreed to remove the offending articles from its website.
A man complained about a crime statistic used in an article published in the Sunday Independent.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper clarified to the complainant, and the complainant accepted, the situation in relation to the statistic used in the report.
A family member complained, on her own behalf and on behalf of her family, about an article published by the Irish Star Sunday in relation to the circumstances surrounding her late father’s death. The woman and her family were particularly upset at the newspaper’s decision to publish photographs of her late father’s body.
The complaint was resolved following a meeting between the editor of the newspaper and the complainant, as a result of which the newspaper published an agreed apology.
A woman complained about the Evening Herald’s coverage of a court case which stated inaccurately that her husband had been left without conviction “after paying her compensation”. The woman complained that it was totally inaccurate to state that her husband had paid her compensation.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published an agreed clarification.
A man complained about an article published by the Western People in 2004, which he felt affected his good name, which referred to him directly, and which remained available on the newspaper’s website.
The complaint was resolved when the newspaper agreed to remove the offending article from its website.
Press Ombudsman Decisions
Gregory and the Evening Herald
Complaint Deputy Tony Gregory complained that an article which appeared in the Evening Herald on 6 January 2008 was a breach of the Code of Practice, Principle 5.1 and 5.3 (Privacy). The article, headlined “Tony Gregory’s family ‘coping’ as Dublin TD battles serious illness,” was…