Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2025-11-12
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Gerard P. Craughwell (IND), Labour Panel

It is my experience that most radio stations now delay the broadcast so there is a lag between the time someone speaks and the time listeners hear it. I agree with Senator McDowell with respect to some of the live debate programmes on television. They are set up with people with specific views. The one that bothers me is that we have a growing tradition of protest in this country. Protests start up at the Rotunda and work their way down to Leinster House or Merrion Square. Where a broadcaster is covering that live, it has no idea what is going to be said at any stage. This opens up a whole can of worms because there is no lag. We are getting the protest as it is happening. It is seen as a public service, but where does the liability lie if someone stands up and says something? I am throwing that into the mix for what it is worth.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-11-12/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:18+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-11-12