Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his full reply and I welcome his remarks, especially on the work that has been done, not just by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, but also by the former Minister, Deputy Flanagan. However, I would like to push for a more firm timeline. It is ambitious to say that proposals will hopefully be published by the end of the year or in early 2021. We have a commitment that it needs to be done within 12 months but work on this issue has been ongoing for so long that perhaps we can expect faster and more substantial progress.

I do not raise this issue because of what all of use have no doubt suffered through our work but because I genuinely have a serious fear about the level of uncivil discourse creeping into public debate. Before expressing a view, people must often consider first whether they are prepared to voice an opinion that not everyone agrees with because of the abuse they and members of their family will receive. Is this inhibiting people from entering politics? I thought the era of nasty politics had gone from Ireland. The best thing we can say about this Parliament is that we can strongly disagree in this Chamber and in the committee rooms but we can all be agreeable outside, have a cup of tea together, meet supporters at election time and have the craic outside the gates of the church or whatever it may be. I fear that if we look at the next debate that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, is going to take, we can see the impact that nasty politics can have in honourable and respected countries such as that of our dear neighbour, the United Kingdom. We do not want to go down the pathway where worrying commentary is used in political campaigns, and scaremongering posters and blatant abuse of office become the norm. That is the huge fear I have for this country and I hope that, through the legislation that is promised, the Minister of State and the Minister can play their part in making sure we are as immune to that as possible.

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