Journalists' union says injunction 'profoundly worrying'

The National Union of Journalists has described as "profoundly worrying" yesterday's High Court injunction preventing publication of confidential documents from the planning tribunal.

NUJ general secretary Mr Séamus Dooley said the decision could impede a proper analysis of the tribunal's work. The public might never learn which investigations were not undertaken by the inquiry and why this was so.

He said it was "disturbing" the tribunal had sought the injunction in advance of court proceedings it was taking against the Sunday Business Post in the New Year. Mr Dooley claimed the tribunal was "singling out" the Post, and said this was "particularly ironic" when stories published by the same newspaper in the mid-1990s led to the setting up of the tribunal.

Mr Dooley acknowledged that a balance had to be struck between a journalist's rights and those of the tribunal; however, he said, this decision pushed the balance too far in one direction.

Judge Mahon warned reporter Barry O'Kelly earlier this month he could face imprisonment over his refusal to divulge the source of two stories based on tribunal documents.

The managing director of Thomas Crosbie Holdings, Mr Anthony Dinan, said the group's newspapers would respect the injunction, which applies until January 17th next. According to Mr Dinan, the blanket nature of the injunction obtained by the tribunal meant it was now "an industry issue". TCH would challenge the tribunal's stance when the High Court heard the tribunal's proceedings against the Post on January 17th, he said.

National Newspapers of Ireland this week lent its "full support" to TCH in its battle with the tribunal.