Ireland is scrapping a longstanding ban on political reporting on the day before elections.

Broadcasters will instead be required to report on political news with “additional care” – but implementing that requirement will be at their discretion, the Irish Times reported.

Ireland had introduced the reporting ban in 1997. The decision to get rid of it could open up debate about introducing a similar measure in Malta, where political reporting is banned on the eve of elections for a “day of reflection”.

Instead of the ban, Ireland’s communications regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, is introducing a direction to broadcasters that begins from 2pm on the day prior to voting and extends until voting is ended.

It instructs broadcasters to “treat with extreme care information relating to the election that it believes, or has reason to believe, has been circulated with the intention of misleading or confusing voters or that is likely to mislead or confuse voters,”

Broadcasters will now be allowed to rebut or fact-check misleading information being circulated. They are being asked, however, to refrain from reporting on opinion or exit polls during voting hours.

The regulator decided to scrap the broadcasting ban after examining similar provisions in other countries and surveying the public.

Laws regulating electoral silence periods have become increasingly difficult for regulators to police given the rise of social media. In Malta, both major political parties have openly defied the law by running sponsored posts on Facebook on election day.

The man who introduced Malta's day of reflection law has since said he believes it should now be scrapped.