Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

Yes, indeed, it affected many who are now Members of this House. There are those who would argue that amendment No. 2 and amendment No. 17 in the name of Deputy Eamon Ryan involve inflicting a lifetime of purgatory on the innocent population. Sometimes in here it feels like purgatory. It is not quite the Big Brother house, but the Oireachtas has its moments and the people of Ireland and elsewhere around the world are entitled to view them.

Live webcasting of Oireachtas proceedings works well but media technology moves quickly and it is crucial not to restrict the options within the proposed legislation. While it is not the preserve of insomniacs and alcoholics — I refer to the viewers, not those of us who are here at 10.30 p.m. — the audience is restricted, not just in the Visitors Gallery but outside the House. We should extend the broadcasts and embrace all new media.

When we are passing a Bill that will probably age fairly rapidly, it is crucial that we do not close any doors, and the amendments put down by Deputies Durkan and Eamon Ryan would ensure that would not happen. Let us ensure that in ten years we can say this Act was far-sighted and did not rule out options but built on the good work done in local authorities and by the broadcasting team in Leinster House. Let us extend the boundaries and ensure that there are more options in the future.

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