Mr. Liam Herrick:

If we think about recent examples where this scenario has evolved, we will find that very often the State agency might be wishing to identify who the source is. That is why the journalist is the primary target. If the agency had access to the identity of the source, it might have less interest in investigating the correspondence or data of the journalist in question. It is a practical matter. That is more likely to be the scenario. We know this is an area of great potential risk. The State and its agencies might always have a legitimate or - very often - illegitimate interest in identifying the relationship between journalists and sources. As members will be aware, Ireland's particular history in respect of this issue goes back to cases in the 1970s and 1980s when, under the cover of national security investigations or other legitimate purposes, State agencies sought information about relationships between journalists and sources. In some cases, these inquiries might well have stepped over into the political sphere. We all know what the practical realities of this can be.