Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Burke, to this committee this morning. I wish also to be associated with the sympathies for John Bruton. He was a giant in Meath and Irish politics. I was speaking to some people in my town of Duleek and he was held in high esteem throughout our county and my sympathy goes to all his family and all the Fine Gael supporters around the country.

I have two issues. There are a number of pieces of legislation going through the Dáil and the Seanad at the moment and obviously, they row into the European Parliament. The first is the Digital Services Bill 2023. All the Stages of this Bill will be dealt with tomorrow in the Seanad. It is a massive piece of legislation and it is timely coming up to the European elections. We must have a decision made on this legislation by next week. All Stages of the Bill will be dealt with tomorrow in the Seanad. It will probably go to the President tomorrow or early next week, but it must be signed off by 17 February.

While there are many good aspects to this legislation, the free speech element is a real concern to me. Who will regulate the "trusted flaggers" that would be appointed on misinformation and disinformation? What is seen as illegal contact? What is seen as misinformation and disinformation? Often, online platforms are similar to town squares for open debate and free speech. This is very much-----