Tag: Press gallery

The media has played a crucial role in advancing the cause of the Oireachtas over the past 100 years, Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail has said. As the host of a dinner in honour of members of the Oireachtas Press Gallery as part of the Dail’s centenary, Mr O Fearghail said the press coverage of the first Dail in 1919 was central to the international recognition of the assembly. He said political journalists were at the cutting edge of the profession, setting the national agenda on a daily basis. Past and present members of the gallery dined on a menu which was given to reporters a century ago. Mr O Fearghail said the challenge of modern journalism, with the internet and the 24/7 news cycle, is a world away from what reporters in previous generations faced. Last night’s dinner was part of a series of celebrations this week to mark the 100th anniversary of the first Dail. Gallery chairman Fiach Kelly, deputy political editor of the Irish Times, detailed the sometimes rocky relationship between the media and the House. He told of how, in 1966, the gallery passed a motion in protest at the poor placement of the media during the 50th celebrations of the Rising. However, he spoke of the pride felt by journalists who are lucky enough to arrive into work in Leinster House each day.

In the first episode of 2019, the Press Gallery podcast team takes a look at the ream of official complaints being filed inside the world of Alberta politics. Over Christmas we had the UCP lodge an official complaint to the election commissioner about foreign funding to left-leaning third-party advertiser Progress Alberta, and Freedom Conservative leader Derek Fildebrandt doing the same about a donation in kind he made to Jason Kenney. Then, to kick off the new year, Alberta Party MLA Karen McPherson complained about the Speaker’s response to her call for an investigation into how the NDP handled sexual misconduct complaints levelled against two of its MLAs. Join host Emma Graney with guests Clare Clancy, Keith Gerein and Dave Breakenridge to talk about all of that, and make some prognostications about 2019. Good Stuff from the Gallery Clare’s pick: Literary Fiction, an excellent monthly podcast about books. Keith’s pick: University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe’s opinion piece about why equalization is not, in fact, unfair to Alberta. Emma’s pick: The wonderful Netflix documentary series 7 Days Out, which takes us behind the scenes in the countdown to some of the world’s biggest events. Also! The 2019 Popsugar reading challenge. Dave’s pick: Broken Record, an awesome music podcast by Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, and former New York Times editor Bruce Headlam.