James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Okay. That is noted. It is on our work programme as a separate module. I note Mr. Kennedy's interest in that and I thank him for his submission.

We have had very useful deliberations and discussion across the room. There are a couple of formalities. I ask the witnesses to stay in the room a moment. We normally publish all the opening statements on the committee's website. Is that agreed by members? Agreed. For the understanding and information of the witnesses - they probably already know this but just to be thorough - the committee will probably have to go on summer break at this stage because there are a number of items to get through before the Houses go into recess. We will consider all today's deliberations, and those of the previous meeting, in addition to members' submissions and other submissions received in writing that did not progress to an oral presentation. They will be taken away, we will have a long deliberation on them and then produce a report that will include a set of recommendations on this draft legislation. That will be presented to all and sundry, including the Houses, the Minister, and all the attendees, as valued participants in the process. The Minister will then take that report away as an input into the formal drafting when the Bill progresses to the more granular stage. Today was a very worthwhile exercise. It was a very good discussion with some good exchanges. We certainly got an insight into the likes of a newsroom, coming from a civil liberties perspective from the media organisations. We had quite a good cross-section, which was very worthwhile.

For the information of members, we will take a short five-minute break. We will then return for a session lasting a maximum of 20 or 30 minutes as we have a little business to do. I will release the witnesses with great thanks to them all for their considerations today.