Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

It is important to note the Minister of State has consulted extensively on this issue. He continued to do so when concerns were raised, and we have this debate today as a result. Deputy Boyd Barrett is correct that this is a complicated issue and it is difficult to know just how big a deal it is or whether to believe the hype. A number of small tech firms have come to me with concerns about it and, at the same time, I have spoken to larger organisations which are not that concerned. It is important to note that Facebook recently decided it was going to expand its operations here, and it would surely have considered this before it decided that.

A question has been floating around on the Internet, in e-mails and on some of the boards about the kind of open-ended powers this would give the courts to step in and make certain judgments or findings against ISPs or individuals, and about the rights on the part of users or website owners to defend themselves before, say, their site was blocked. There is some concern that this is not concrete in the statutory instrument so that it might be found a ruling could set a precedent which could have unforeseen implications down the line.

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