John Horgan (academic)
Encyclopedia
John S. Horgan is the Press Ombudsman in the Republic of Ireland
. An author and former Labour Party
politician who served from 1969 to 1981 as a senator
and then as a Teachta Dála
(TD), he was Professor of Journalism
at Dublin City University
before taking up the ombudsman post in 2007.
newspaper, and later worked as a staff journalist on the Catholic Herald and on The Irish Times
, where he wrote about religion and education.
He was elected in 1969 as a member of the 12th Seanad Éireann representing the National University of Ireland constituency
. He was re-elected in 1973 to the 13th Seanad, and at the 1977 general election
he was elected to Dáil Éireann
as TD for the Dublin County South
constituency. After boundary changes for the 1981 general election
, he was not re-elected in the new Dublin South
constituency, and was also unsuccessful at the February 1982 general election. He did not stand again.
However, after Dr. John O'Connell resigned as one the two Labour Party Members of the European Parliament
(MEP) for the Dublin constituency
, Horgan was appointed on 21 October 1981 to take his place. He served in the European Parliament
only until 1983, when he resigned to take up an academic post.
in Dublin, which in 1989 became elevated to university status in 1989 became Dublin City University
(DCU). He was DCU's Professor of Journalism in 1989, a position he held until his retirement in 2006, and was also a member of the Interim Radio Commission, the Commission on the Newspaper Industry and the Forum on Broadcasting.
The newly-formed Press Council was launched on 11 January 2008. Its Code of Practice sets out the standards expected from newspapers and periodicals published in Ireland, and members of the public can raise a complaint about articles which directly affects and involves them, and which they think breach the Code of Practice. The Ombudsman's role is to mediate — and if necessary, ajudicate — adjudicate on cases where the complainant has not reached agreement with the publisher. More complex cases may be referred to the full Press Council.
The new system was launched partly to provide an alternatively to a growing incidence of increasingly costly litigation, and to head off the threat of a new privacy law. On 9 January 2008, the Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan
announced that a proposed new privacy law would be postponed for two years to give the Press Ombudsman "an opportunity to establish himself and the credibility of his office".
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. An author and former Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
politician who served from 1969 to 1981 as a senator
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
and then as a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD), he was Professor of Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
at Dublin City University
Dublin City University
Dublin City University is a university situated between Glasnevin, Santry, Ballymun and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland...
before taking up the ombudsman post in 2007.
Political career
Horgan began his career in 1962 as a journalist on the Evening PressEvening Press
The Evening Press was an Irish newspaper which was printed from 1954 until 1995. It was set up by Éamon de Valera's Irish Press group, and was originally edited by Douglas Gageby...
newspaper, and later worked as a staff journalist on the Catholic Herald and on The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
, where he wrote about religion and education.
He was elected in 1969 as a member of the 12th Seanad Éireann representing the National University of Ireland constituency
National University of Ireland (constituency)
National University of Ireland is a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, through which graduates of the National University of Ireland have elected members of various legislative bodies including currently Seanad Éireann.-Summary:...
. He was re-elected in 1973 to the 13th Seanad, and at the 1977 general election
Irish general election, 1977
The Irish general election of 1977 was held on 16 June 1977 and is regarded as a pivotal point in twentieth century Irish politics. The general election took place in 42 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 148 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann. The number of...
he was elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
as TD for the Dublin County South
Dublin County South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin County South was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1969 to 1981...
constituency. After boundary changes for the 1981 general election
Irish general election, 1981
The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, he was not re-elected in the new Dublin South
Dublin South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
constituency, and was also unsuccessful at the February 1982 general election. He did not stand again.
However, after Dr. John O'Connell resigned as one the two Labour Party Members of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP) for the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
, Horgan was appointed on 21 October 1981 to take his place. He served in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
only until 1983, when he resigned to take up an academic post.
After politics
Horgan was appointed in 1983 as a lecturer in what was then the National Institute for Higher EducationNational Institute for Higher Education
A National Institute for Higher Education was a category of higher education institution established in the Republic of Ireland to provide higher level technical education above the standard of the then established Regional Technical College system but at university level...
in Dublin, which in 1989 became elevated to university status in 1989 became Dublin City University
Dublin City University
Dublin City University is a university situated between Glasnevin, Santry, Ballymun and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland...
(DCU). He was DCU's Professor of Journalism in 1989, a position he held until his retirement in 2006, and was also a member of the Interim Radio Commission, the Commission on the Newspaper Industry and the Forum on Broadcasting.
Press Ombudsman
In August 2007 he became Ireland's first ever Press Ombudsman after being appointed to the position by the Press Council of Ireland.The newly-formed Press Council was launched on 11 January 2008. Its Code of Practice sets out the standards expected from newspapers and periodicals published in Ireland, and members of the public can raise a complaint about articles which directly affects and involves them, and which they think breach the Code of Practice. The Ombudsman's role is to mediate — and if necessary, ajudicate — adjudicate on cases where the complainant has not reached agreement with the publisher. More complex cases may be referred to the full Press Council.
The new system was launched partly to provide an alternatively to a growing incidence of increasingly costly litigation, and to head off the threat of a new privacy law. On 9 January 2008, the Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
announced that a proposed new privacy law would be postponed for two years to give the Press Ombudsman "an opportunity to establish himself and the credibility of his office".
Published works
Books by John Horgan include:- Broadcasting and Public Life: RTÉ News and Current Affairs 1926-1997. Four Courts Press, 2004. ISBN 1851828397
- Irish Media: A Critical History Since 1922, Routledge, 2001.
- Noel Browne: Passionate Outsider, Gill and Macmillan, 2000.
- Seán Lemass - the Enigmatic Patriot, Gill & MacMillan, 1997.
- Mary Robinson an independent voice, O'Brien Press, 1997.
- Labour the price of power, Gill & Macmillan, 1986.
- Humanae Vitae and the Bishops: the encyclical and the statements of the National Hierarchies, Irish University Press, 1972.
- The Church Among the People, Pflaum, 1969.
- The Last revolution, Gill & Son, 1965.