The Communications Minister Alex White has published new guidelines surrounding media ownership and mergers in Ireland.

They apply to print, online and broadcast media and include a "public value" test for future mergers.

The guidelines also set out a threshold for share holdings.

They say that while a holding or voting strength of between 10% and 19% in a media business may constitute a significant interest, a holding or voting strength of over 20% "will generally constitute a significant interest."

The guidelines also set out the procedures and criteria the minister will use to determine whether a proposed media merger would be against the public interest.

The guidelines say that the minister will have regard to the holding or voting strength that each merger party holds in any media business.

Minister White said: "Media plurality is essential to the health of our democracy. The Competition and Consumer Protection Act significantly enhances the regulation of media mergers in Ireland by introducing a requirement to consider the impact of a proposed merger on media plurality."

They also make provision for a pre-notification process, express inclusion of the protection of the Irish language and to see that members of the advisory panel will have relevant experience.

However the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has said the guidelines reflect "an abject failure of the government to tackle powerful media interests in Ireland."

Irish secretary Séamus Dooley said Mr White was to be commended for the principles behind the guidelines - but added that "positive language without strong legislative measures will not break the stranglehold which a few individuals and companies have on media ownership and control in this country".