Almost 25 years ago, a review of the media arrangements for Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit to Ireland strongly criticized the large number of onlookers who created a scene that was “nothing short of a farce.”
According to state documents released by the National Archives, Foreign Ministry officials were concerned about aspects of the April 1989 visit.
The report states that at the time, when leader Charles Haughey and his wife Maureen were supposed to see Gorbachev and his wife Raisa off, “an unfettered riot ensued with the world and their wives assaulting the president at the foot of the plane.” “It has said. Official farewell at Shannon Airport.
It also criticized how too many “celebrities” and local officials were crowding into different scenes during a photo shoot at the airport’s duty-free shop.
The review of President Gorbachev’s high-profile visit was undertaken to identify flaws in the arrangements for the presidential visit.
The review also aimed to recommend solutions for future visits by political leaders.
The report said the public nature of these visits was essentially “for the sake of the principles at hand and the media.”
“This is not just an opinion; [department’s] The press section and the media will decide, but the principles themselves will decide,” he added.
Mikhail Gorbachev enjoys a pint of Guinness at a bar in Dublin during a visit to Ireland. Photo: Kevin Clancy/Fennells.
The report stated that this fact has important implications for the organization and conduct of visits by political leaders.
The paper argued that the media “must have priority” in access to public life after leading politicians and senior officials.
“VIPs and other interested groups must be viewed in this light,” the report states.
He said that such a point had already been made “forcibly” by then Prime Minister Charles Haughey even before Gorbachev’s visit.
The report said the number of “other people” who turned up at Folk Park, Bunratty and Shannon airports exceeded capacity, making it impossible for the media to do their jobs.
“The situation at the Folk Park and at the foot of the stairs at the time of departure was nothing short of a farce,” the review concluded.
He continued, “The resulting inappropriate media coverage cast the entire organization in a bad light.”
The review recommended that access to public places during future visits should be “severely restricted”.
It also said groups such as Aer Rianta, Aer Lingus and Shannon Free Airport Development Company “must comply with these regulations”.
limit”.
The report also says security approaches for accredited journalists need to be significantly improved.
The newspaper said gardaí would have to accept that media representation “now becomes a priority at all public events”.
He added, “We should abandon the attitude that media outlets are enemies or suspects (despite thorough prior screening).”
The paper said gardaí made little attempt to prevent “cronies” from accessing the base of the flying Gorbachev home and severely disrupted media operations.
“As a result, the melee was well and accurately recorded, but the departure was not,” the report states.
Bunratty’s situation was even worse, he added.
From now on, gardaí said media personnel must cooperate fully once they have been identified and given security clearance.
It also recommended that gardaí work directly with the department’s media department on such visits, with senior officers responsible for coordinating all aspects of the trip.
