I will say a few brief words. I am back, a Cheann Comhairle, from a lengthy sojourn in the Seanad, which I have to say was interesting and productive. I think I was in the Seanad for over 28 hours on Committee and Report Stages but it was a worthwhile engagement. As a result of the contributions from Senators in the House, I am coming here with five amendments to the legislation. Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, are changes to section 11 of the Bill, which, as colleagues will know, were substantive changes to sec…

I thank my three colleagues for their contributions. I also thank them for their support regarding the amendments that have been brought here from the Seanad. All three spoke about juries. I will deal with that matter presently. Before I do, I would not like people to think that the primary functions of this Bill are all to do with the abolition of High Court juries. There is much more to the Bill than that, as I am sure colleagues are aware. There are two areas that deserve recognition and attention. I will mentio…

Section 26 has not operated in the way we wanted it to when it was enacted by the previous Oireachtas back in 2009. I think this will benefit it. What I am putting in will make sure it is fair, as well as reasonable. Regarding the retailers, there is a specific section that puts in place what was previously a form of qualified privilege where they had to stop somebody and ask them whether or not they had paid for goods in circumstances where they had not. What everyone wants to hear about is the abolition of juries…

I am going to tell him exactly that. I answered it here before. First, when you go into government, or if you are a member of a political party, as the Deputy knows, you sometimes have to go along with things you probably do not agree with.

The Deputy has to let me speak.

The Labour Party put forward a candidate in the last Presidential election. Deputy Kelly did not agree with it. He did not run off and resign from the Labour Party. He expressed his opinion and made it known but he got on with it and rowed in. That is one of the consequences of being a member of a political party, and more so, being a member of a government. It was a Government decision that was made in the programme for Government that the Defamation (Amendment) Bill, which was commenced before I became a Minister…

I am sorry. The Deputy asked about my conviction. It is not a point upon which I am prepared to die in a ditch.

It is not the most significant change that I am going to be introducing as a Minister, to be frank with the Deputy. When we look at it, it is removing juries from the High Court in defamation actions. There is no right. I was listening to Deputy Boyd Barrett, who very carefully used his language. I was waiting for him to say it is a right, and in fairness, he did not - he said it is a principle. It is not a right to have a jury in a civil action. It is a principle that had developed but which has gradually been rem…

The reason I am here advocating this is that politics, as Deputy Kelly well knows, is about compromise. Deputy Boyd Barrett said at the outset that there are disadvantages to being in a smaller party. That is true because you cannot cover everything. However, there are some great advantages to being in a small party, and there are some real advantages to being an Independent - you never have to compromise. They are the answers. I know the Deputies will not accept them but I thank them for supporting the amendments.

Amendments Nos. 4 and 5 amend section 13 of the Bill, which introduces a defence for broadcasters where a defamatory statement is made during a live broadcast, where the broadcaster can demonstrate that it took reasonable and prudent steps to prevent the publication of such a statement. Amendment No. 4 addresses a concern raised in the Seanad as to whether the defence would apply in circumstances where there is a brief delay in transmission of the broadcast. It is not the intention that a short delay in transmissio…

I am taking a note of what the Deputy is saying.

I want to start by thanking Deputies Devine and Carthy for introducing this important Bill. As has been indicated, the Bill seeks to seeks to amend Coco's Law by criminalising the generation of non-consensual intimate images and videos, and also by increasing the maximum penalties on conviction. At present, it is a criminal offence to generate images provided they are then distributed and-or published. I know that the Bill has been introduced in the context of recent public concerns and considerable political debat…

It would. The Attorney General has advised that the proposed increase in the penalty would be a disproportionate penalty for an offence where there is no requirement to prove any criminal intent. The reason we introduced Coco's Law was because images were being created and recorded and then being published and distributed. This was clearly very damaging and upsetting for the individuals concerned. We need to look at the fact that all that is being done by this Act is that the generation of the image would be a crim…

I welcome the opportunity to address the House this afternoon to update it on road safety matters. I will be sharing my time with the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, will be delivering the closing statement. I would like to take the opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to the family of Grace Lynch. Neither the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, nor I can imagine the pain the family are going through and the sense of loss they are experiencing. To lose someone so o…

I am pleased to be here to introduce this Bill to Seanad Éireann. I look forward to hearing the contributions of colleagues. I am initiating this Bill in the Upper House and it will go into Dáil Éireann hereafter. This is an important and necessary piece of legislation. It responds directly to developments in constitutional, European and human rights law, reflecting this Government's commitment to ensuring that policing powers are exercised within a clear, modern and legally robust framework. Much of the recent com…

I thank Senators for their contributions to this debate on what is very important proposed legislation. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Gallagher as an méid a dúirt sé. Bhí mé ag éisteacht go cúramach leis. I will deal generally with some of the issues identified by my friends Senators Boyhan and Ryan on the right-hand side of the House, because there is support for the legislation on the Government side. Senator Boyhan referred to the Bill's digest documentation and I will certainly have a look at it. The Oirea…

I did not. That is wrong.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation o…

I thank Deputies Carthy and Gannon for their contributions. Deputy Carthy raised several issues in respect of Ireland's sovereignty. The fact these issues are being debated in this House, and subsequently will be debated and voted on in the Seanad, indicates Irish democracy is very much at the heart of the consideration of these proposals. There have been three parts to the PNR agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation. First of all, there was a vote by both Houses of the Oireachtas back in 2…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Unio…