The government is involved in an ongoing consideration of how "best to ensure the maintenance of standards in online social media sites", according to the Minister for Communications, Denis Naughten.
Speaking at the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman’s launch of their 2016 Annual report Mr Naughten went on to suggest that the example of the structures of the Press Council could provide a template for just that.
The Minister said the Press Council model, which was neither based on statutory regulation nor self-regulation, had worked well and was a way of ensuring the press maintained high standards as well as protecting the privacy and dignity of individuals, whilst promoting the right of freedom of expression.
During his address at the briefing the Press Council’s chairman, Sean Donlon, also welcomed the ongoing review of the Defamation Act and suggested it was an opportunity to ensure more frequent use of the "fair, fast and free" complaints machinery of the Press Coumncil.
Mr Donlon said the ongoing review and "reforms suggested by the Press Council and others would result in the possibility of lesser financial court settlements and more frequent use by complainants of the machinery of the Press Ombudsman and Press Council".
The Council’s annual report revealed that the Office of the Press Ombudsman received 261 complaints in 2016, down from 278 in the previous year.
The complaints related to articles published in national and local newspapers, magazines and online-only news publications.
In 2016 the Press Ombudsman made 23 decisions, down from 34 the previous year.
Nine complaints were upheld in 2016.
Speaking at the launch the Press Ombudsman, Peter Feeney, said "member publications are providing a service to their readers which is largely compliant with the requirements found in the Code of Practice".