Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

Senator Walsh may intervene in respect of this amendment, which proposes that the press council may make a recommendation regarding the reasonable parameters of damages to be awarded in any case where the newspaper involved apologises in advance of the hearing. It also states, "The court must take such a recommendation into consideration in assessing damages." I am opposed to that because the courts, not the press council, should have the final say in respect of the damages people should obtain. I do not agree that the press council should be able to advise the courts or that its advice should be taken into account by the courts in assessing damages for infringement of a person's reputation.