Published Wednesday, 18 January 2012
It was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron last November, in the wake of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal in England.
On Wednesday, the editor of The Irish News, Noel Doran, was questioned on the nature of the relationship between press and politicians in Northern Ireland.
Mr Doran said the "unusual political structure" could not be ignored, referring to the state of power-sharing that exists between the parties in the Assembly.
Our relationship with those parties is diverse, but could it be too close? I think I can confirm it's certainly not too close. We don't see very much of them.
The Irish News editor Noel Doran
"They tend to keep us at arm's length, which probably suits both sides," he said.
Mr Doran said it has been approximately four years since he saw the First and deputy First Ministers on a regular basis.
Previously, he said, the Secretary of State would have regularly briefed Belfast editors, but the First and deputy First Ministers have not.
"I think it is important to have a constructive relationship with our senior politicians. I don't think it's wise that it be too close.
"Mostly, but not always, it's been professional and usually reasonably amicable. But it has its ups and downs," commented Mr Doran.
"I don't really think it compares to the way things were in London over a period of time."
Speaking earlier in the day, Belfast Telegraph editor Mike Gilson sisted that press standards in Northern Ireland are high.
He said: "The decision about whether this is in the public interest comes first.
"There is a rigorous and strong debate, lawyers may well be involved in it as well.
If an issue needed a journalist to pretend to be somebody other than the journalist, that would only be sanctioned by myself. There have been two or three cases of that.
Belfast Telegraph editor Mike Gilson
Editors of regional newspapers and celebrity magazines - including Hello!, Heat and OK! - have also been answering questions on Wednesday, about their handling of celebrity stories and how they deal with complaints.
On Tuesday, Private Eye editor Ian Hislop told the inquiry that he believed there was no need for new laws to deal with press governance.
The Leveson Inquiry now has written or oral evidence from the editor of every national paper, apart from the Daily Mail's Paul Dacre, who is appearing on 6 February.