Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators for the very detailed consideration they gave this legislation. Towards the end of the life of the last Seanad a debate was initiated which excited great interest in this Bill. While I will not repeat my view of the Bill, it is a progressive and codifying measure. I hope it leads to a better relationship between the press and the people for the future. I found the contribution of the Seanad very useful and the legislation has been amended substantially in the course of discussion in the House. While the Committee Stage in the other House now takes place in a detailed committee, it is useful to have a Committee Stage in a full House and the Bill has benefited greatly from that. The amount of time given to the Bill on both Committee and Report Stages has been very welcome and helped focus my mind on the provisions of the Bill. They have helped improve it to a state whereby Dáil Éireann will not have very much more to do with it. I thank Senators for their contributions to this debate and for facilitating the passage of the Bill. There are some matters raised in the debate that will require attention in the Dáil and of course they will revert to the Seanad in due course.