I welcome the arrival of the Bill 2020 into the Dáil. The Minister of State said in his opening statement that it is neither a complicated nor a particularly lengthy Bill. One wonders why it has taken so long to arrive before us. We seem to be always at the end of the timelines for the transposition of EU directives. Again and again, that seems to be the situation and we are presented with timelines in which we must get the legislation done or face financial sanction in the European court. That should not be the wa…

I ask the Tánaiste to set out clearly and specifically the degree of co-operation between our authorities and Northern Ireland on Covid. I listened to his comment in reply to another Deputy that there were problems with data-sharing. That is just not acceptable. I understand there is a memorandum of understanding. How is that being implemented, specifically? I am hearing increasingly complaints that there is not a timely exchange of data, that information co-ordination is far from what it should be and that that is…

I want to use questions and answers, if I may, in the short few minutes I have. I raised a particular issue yesterday in regard to the practical outworking of these arrangements. Like the previous speaker, I have a complete understanding of the complexities involved. I understand that the Minister can say we have had a year in transition, but we did not because, like everything, until it actually happens and we see specifically what is needed, there will be things we have not prepared for. I do not take great comfo…

That is understandable.

I greatly welcome that and I thank the Minister for looking at the particular question I raised because it was just an indicative question. To have local mechanisms to resolve that is something I will certainly be monitoring in Rosslare. My second question is in regard to the Brexit fund which the Tánaiste mentioned and the €1 billion. Of course, he talked about it still needing European Parliament assent. It was said that we had just over €1 billion. What is the mechanism by which decisions are going to be made? A…

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak briefly on this important issue. We were not sure that we would ever arrive at the point when we would actually have a trade agreement between the European Union and the UK to debate. It became a very close-run thing. Although the details of this complex agreement will be unravelled over a period of time, a few points are clear from the outset. As I have done as our spokesperson on this issue for the past number of years, the Labour Party strongly welcomes that we have a d…

On a point of order, the debate is supposed to be concluded. Is any Deputy who comes in now simply going to be allowed to speak?

Two justice Bills are due now and people are scheduled to speak here until 11.15 tonight. I am just being reasonable.

Fine.

It is straightforward. I support the amendment.

It seems as if this is happening quickly inasmuch as there is only one Report Stage amendment from the Minister. It is an important Bill and it is important to get it on the Statute Book in this session if we can. The issue of money laundering and terrorist financing was discussed at great length on Committee Stage and previously on Second Stage. The speed of Report Stage should not in any way underplay the importance of these new legislative measures which modernise our law regarding money laundering and the fundi…

I am delighted we have got to this stage of the debate on this important legislation. I want to thank the Minister, Deputy McEntee. Unfortunately she cannot be with us but I thank her for her co-operation with me in advancing this legislation to this point. The net issue in this group of amendments is the definition of "intimate image". We are trying to ensure that the sharing of intimate images without consent is a criminal offence. Apparently that is a frequent occurrence and there is no legal impediment to it. I…

I welcome the acceptance of amendment No. 5. It is the amendment I recommended from the group. I am concerned that some of the other amendments might add a complication, particularly to the issue of consent. It should not be a matter of being able to contest it by way of a new definition as opposed to the normal understanding of consent. The acceptance of Deputy Jim O'Callaghan's amendment captures the concern of everybody who has spoken about what purports to be an image of somebody, in other words, an altered ima…

People will know this Bill has been a long time in gestation since I introduced it three years ago. Technology has changed as well and so we need to look very carefully at every aspect of it. All of the debate thus far on the Bill has focused on the sharing of intimate images. That element is only one part of the Bill but a very important part, and one that has come into greater focus in recent times because of the terrible harm that is being done by the sharing of intimate images. The other element of the Bill is …

I move amendment No. 15: In page 4, to delete lines 35 to 38, and in page 5, to delete lines 1 to 7 and substitute the following: "4. (1) A person is guilty of an offence where he or she, by any means— (a) distributes or publishes any threatening or grossly offensive communication about another person, or (b) sends any threatening or grossly offensive communication to another person, with intent to cause serious interference with the other person’s peace and privacy or to cause alarm or distress to the other person…

I thank the Minister of State for accepting the potential of my proposed subsection (2). I do not know whether it is technically possible to amend my amendment simply to add that subsection to the existing section 4. The Ceann Comhairle might be able to advise whether it is technically possible to do so. We had a lot of debate on this issue and it goes to the heart of online bullying. Obviously, we do not want to trample in any way on freedom of speech, but one person's freedom of speech is another person's complet…

I propose to amend my amendment at page 4 and to drop “to delete lines 35 to 38” and add something after the existing section 4. I will read this section, as it stands, for clarity. It reads: 4. (1) A person who— (a) by any means— (i) distributes or publishes any threatening or grossly offensive communication about another person, or (ii) sends any threatening or grossly offensive communication to another person, and (b) with intent by so distributing, publishing or sending to cause harm, is guilty of an offence. (…

It will be printed in any event because of the amendment we have already made.

Yes, I do.

On that basis I withdraw the amendment.