Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Section 42 makes reference to the status of privilege. Subsection (1) provides for the absolute privilege of documents and reports of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, an authorised official or an investigation officer, wherever published. Statements made at meetings or sittings for inquiries or investigations by the commissioner, deputy commissioner and an authorised official or an investigation officer or an adviser or agent of any of the foregoing, will also be absolutely privileged.

Subsection (2) provides that utterances made by a person conducting an inquiry, investigation or hearing, or made otherwise than at meetings by a person in the performance of functions, under Chapters 2, 3 and 4, shall also be absolutely privileged wherever published.