Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 119:

In page 23, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:

“(3) (a) It shall be an offence for any accused person or other person or persons acting at his or her direction or on his or her behalf, to make any form of contemporaneous electronic recording by any means whatsoever of live criminal proceedings in which a victim of sexual violence is required to attend and give live evidence, whether in court or by means of video link.

(b) Any person convicted of such an offence on a summary basis shall be liable to a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine, and any person convicted of such an offence on indictment shall be liable to a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and/or a fine.”.

I ask the Minister to give the matter to which this amendment relates consideration before Report Stage. It is serious if evidence in court is being recorded, whether by the accused or any other person. The issue needs to be examined. However, like Deputy O'Brien, I will withdraw my amendment.