Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

They do as much damage to people's lives as some of those in the medical and legal professions. At least the medical and legal people have a fitness to practice and a code of conduct to which they must adhere. If they continue to offend, they are suspended or removed from their register. I agree with Senator Mullen that newspapers should pay high compensation when they offend and ruin lives, as they do. Newspapers are wealthy and I do not know how significant an impact fines would have. If a journalist or a newspaper continued to offend, we should be talking about sanctions, such as three strikes, then out, cutting off their livelihood. We would then see how the media would write about people.