Media Minister compared to Viktor Orban over fuel protest comments

By Grainne Ni Aodha and Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

The Media Minister has been compared to outgoing Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban after he questioned media reporting of fuel protests.

Patrick O’Donovan said there were “lopsided” political views and “skewed” broadcasting of fuel protests and blockades that disrupted traffic, public transport and fuel supplies for a week.

O’Donovan said he would ask Ireland’s broadcasting regulator Coimisiún na Meán to examine media reporting of the protests as the Government came under pressure for its handling of the demonstrations.

His comments were roundly criticised by opposition parties on Tuesday, and his party leader also said a review was not necessary.

During a motion of confidence in the Government, both Labour and the Social Democrats criticised O’Donovan’s comments.

“The Minister for Media announced yesterday that he wants Coimisiún na Meán to investigate media coverage of the protests,” Labour leader Ivana Bacik said.

“Goodbye Viktor Orban, hello Patrick O’Donovan.”

Orban, a close ally of both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was voted out of office on Sunday after 16 years in power.

Bacik added: “At best, one might hope this was a cynical attempt to distract from a disastrous week for the Government.

“But at worst, it’s a minister resorting to sinister threats against the national broadcaster because it was doing its job of reporting fairly on events from around the country.”

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said the Government was “engaged in a blame game” after the fuel protests and that the Communications Minister “is even blaming the media”.

Earlier, the Tánaiste said a review of media reporting of the fuel protests was not needed.

Asked about the comments by O’Donovan, who is a Fine Gael minister, Tánaiste and party leader Simon Harris, said a free media was “an absolute vital part of our democracy”.

“I’m a big supporter of freedom of the media, freedom of the press, as is the Government, as is the minister,” Harris told reporters outside Government Buildings in Dublin.

“In fact, Minister Patrick O’Donovan will be bringing forward legislative change later this year to further underpin the importance of freedom of the media, in line with a number of European developments.

“A free media, a robust media, is an absolute vital part of our democracy.

“Of course, at the end of any difficult period, you can look back and say, at a moment in national crisis, how do we get information out there, are there learnings?

“But I certainly don’t think there’s any need for any sort of formal review, these are matters for Coimisiún na Meán.”

He added: “I think the media, like everybody in this country, were doing their best to deal with a fast evolving and a very difficult situation.

“My priority now as a government leader is to try and move forward, try to deliver for people in this country.”

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) had described the minister’s comments as “sinister and deeply disturbing” and said they had caused “genuine concern”.

The regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, said in a statement that if individuals want to make a complaint about broadcast content, they can find more information on the regulator’s website.

Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney said she was “genuinely shocked” by O’Donovan’s comments, which she further characterised as “overreach”.

She told reporters at Leinster House that the minister did not have “such authority” and accused him of “choosing to grind his petty personal axe” against the media.

FG Minister Patrick O'Donavan has threatened press freedom in Ireland.

It's an authoritarian abuse of power, and he, along with the rest of the government, should go. pic.twitter.com/YNeV8fJx92

— Peadar Tóibín TD (@Toibin1) April 14, 2026

Gibney said the minister should recall his remarks, adding that he was an “interested party” in the coverage of protests.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy also agreed with the NUJ and accused the minister of attempting to apply pressure on RTÉ.

He said the coverage was not “too sympathetic” to protesters and accused O’Donovan of trying to turn RTÉ into a “government mouthpiece”.

Green Senator Malcolm Noonan said he believed O’Donovan of “straying into dangerous territory” and infringing on the impartiality of the commission.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín accused O’Donovan of an “abuse of his position as minister”.

“The minister has his hands on the purse strings in relation to the funding of a significant number of media outlets in this country,” he said.

“Freedom of speech and freedom of media are key foundation stones of a functioning liberal democracy, and I believe that Patrick O’Donovan has way overstepped the mark in an authoritarian fashion with regard to the comments that he has made.”