Limerick's Citizens' Parliament calls for media literacy course

STUDENTS should complete a media literacy course as part of the curriculum to persuade them to question everything they read, hear and see.

That’s one of the recommendations of the Citizens’ Parliament, which is meeting in Limerick and proposing ways to future-proof media and democracy here, in Ireland and across Europe.

Members of the 20-strong group have been meeting on Saturdays through March and April.

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Last weekend, they heard from Limerick Leader managing editor Áine Fitzgerald in Mary Immaculate College and Limerick Live95FM’s radio station director and presenter Joe Nash.

Then they met local politicians over lunch at Bobby Byrne’s Pub in the city.

In this number were local TD Willie O’Dea.

He was joined by Limerick councillors Peter Doyle and Sean Hartigan.

Citizens’ Parliament members have been debating the difficulties and obstacles journalists face.

They have also weighed up how people now receive and engage with news.

Arising from this came recommendations to make to those in power so that they can improve the flow of useful and truthful information to the public.

The Citizens’ Parliament has called for the Department of Finance to bring in tax credits for journalists.

In effect, this would cut the income tax journalists pay.

Other resolutions include providing better protection for journalists going about their daily work.

Reform is also called for around defamation laws.

In legal terms, defamation is a false statement that damages a person's reputation, be it written or spoken.

The Citizens’ Parliament is to meet on two more occasions.

Following this, their recommendations will be presented to politicians at local, national and European Union level.