Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I have raised in this House my concerns with regard to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. We have allowed a situation to develop where former senior executives of the national broadcaster play significant roles on that body and where people who are doing business and in contracts with RTE are on the body. This raises a question or a perception as to the operation of the independence of the functions of those bodies. When we are establishing such a body, we should in the first instance try to ensure it is absolutely independent.

There are not really any unfettered freedoms. We recognise that human beings have strengths but also weaknesses, and we are fallible in many ways. Indeed, the Mahon tribunal recently shone a light on that and showed weaknesses within politicians. It also, I have to add, shone a light on the avariciousness of the legal profession and the exorbitant fees that are being extracted, not just in those tribunals but generally from the public, the State and taxpayers.

It is important we get to a situation where the public can have confidence and where people's rights and the vindication of their good name are paramount. Since the publication of those Bills and since previous debates in this House, the Leveson inquiry in Britain has shown appalling abuses within the industry. We were lobbied in this regard by the secretary of the NUJ. I recall a preliminary debate in the O'Reilly Hall in UCD, when a previous Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. McDowell, arranged a gathering of all interested parties to have an open conference on this issue. The secretary of the NUJ stood up at that event and acknowledged there had been a lowering of standards within our media. I do not believe anyone would disagree with that point because it has been happening, perhaps because of the pressures of competition or because of the influence of the media, particularly the tabloid media in Britain.

We in this House owe it to our citizens and have an obligation to ensure that does not happen in this State. As a consequence, I urge the Minister to consider the contents of this Bill, to vary it if he feels it necessary, but to come forward with a privacy Bill which has the fine balance required. Above all, it should ensure a right to the protection of the privacy of our citizens in situations where it should not be exposed by a media that is often driven by trying to get the most outlandish story from the point of view of the marketing of newspapers. I appeal to the Minister to ensure this does not happen. I second the motion.