David Norris (Independent)

Surely one can if the party is right. The other side is already saving because it is getting a small reward. I doubt that the plain people of Ireland have the slightest idea of what is being imposed on them in this Bill. They would be very concerned if they did. There are, by and large, reasonably decent standards in Irish newspapers. However, as Senator Maurice Hayes is aware, this is not true of many English newspapers and, financially, they have deep pockets.

I acknowledge the presence in the Visitors Gallery of senior people from the National Union of Journalists. I honour them; they are people of the highest standard. We are lucky to have them, and I am not simply craw thumping in saying that. However, we are well aware of the record of Rupert Murdoch's newspapers. They find it profitable to lie about people and they will pay any amount of money for it. They will crush ordinary people if they can. In a situation where injustice has been done, why should the individual not have his or her fees covered, if they would have been covered had he or she accepted a smaller amount?

It is a guessing game, like guessing the weight of the pig at the funfair. These matters are far too serious for the individual to be treated in this manner. I will put down an amendment to delete this section. I sincerely hope, not in a mean-minded sense, that it will spark a revolt on the Government side. It does not bother me when there is an election because it is due in a short while anyway. If Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats split on this, they could not do so on a better issue. It is an issue of principle.

The ordinary person is not being treated well by this Bill. The big newspaper proprietors, particularly people such as Mr. Murdoch, have plenty of money. They also have plenty of shrewd advice and know how these matters can go. They can take a gamble by offering a carefully estimated amount of money and they stand a sporting chance of upending the person they have already libelled. They can then achieve a double whammy against that person.

We have talked about inhibiting investigative journalism in the past. What about inhibiting people from restoring their good names? Between now and Report Stage I will compile a catalogue of the things going through in this Bill and I will read it into the record as a Bill of shame. It will be a list of things the elected Members of the Oireachtas are permitting entrenched interests to do with impunity against the ordinary citizen. It will be a dreadful day's work if this is passed unamended.