The Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman safeguards and promotes professional and ethical standards in Irish newspapers, magazines and digital publications. The Press Council is an independent regulatory body, and appoints the Press Ombudsman. The Office of the Press Ombudsman ensures that everybody has access to an independent press complaints mechanism that is quick, fair and free. The structures are designed to ensure that the freedom of the press is never abused, and that the public interest is always served. These are the main principles of independent press regulation all around the world.
Membership of the Press Council is voluntary and consideration of complaints can only take place when the matter under complaint has been published in a member publication. All national newspapers (including Irish editions of UK papers), most regional newspapers, many magazines and some digital publications are members.
The professional and ethical standards involved are those set out in the Code of Practice.