Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I have an interest to declare as a director of Independent News and Media. I support Senator Brian Hayes's request for a debate on the proposal for a press council and ombudsman. This is an ideal debate for the Seanad at this time as it would be a pre-White Paper debate before matters are cast in concrete. Senator Brian Hayes, I am sure entirely inadvertently, was unfair to the Minister. I was at a conference on Monday attended by the Minister who, even to the satisfaction of the newspaper journalists there, showed he had an open mind on this matter, which is still subject to discussion.