David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 169, to delete lines 38 to 40.

This amendment refers to a proclamation prohibiting the publishing of false, wicked malicious reports and news. I delight in that. Maybe it was the 18th century but, surely to God, this is something we should uphold as a parliament. We have a fairly rotten media which consistently publishes false, wicked malicious reports, as I am well in a position to attest having sued about 11 times and won in all cases. The media sought to propagate the most atrocious lies about me. I had my revenge by making them shell out fairly substantial sums of money. I note there is a privacy Bill in my name on the Order Paper - there is also a privacy Bill in the name of the Government - to protect the interests of private citizens in this country. During the presidential election, the editor of one of the newspapers actually said to me that what was happening to me was "pay back time" for the work I did on the defamation Bill in the Seanad.Something should be done about the deliberate spreading of false, malicious and wicked reports to frighten people off from their parliamentary duties. I do not expect a positive reply from the Minister of State on this, but I would like him to bring the message back to the Cabinet and colleagues that we are looking for some kind of control. I know most people in political parties are afraid to take on the press, just as one hour ago people here were afraid to enter any dissenting voice about the rescuing of the Moore Street buildings related to 1916. I was hissed at by the relatives for entering a dissenting opinion, which makes me wonder what kind of republic they would have liked to see. It is important we take up the matter of false, malicious and wicked reports and news and put a stop to it. This Bill may not be the vehicle to do it, but it provides me with a welcome opportunity to address a serious Minister on the situation and ask that something be done about the issue.

With regard to my remarks earlier, perhaps the use of the word "squirt" was unparliamentary. However, the remark was made about an anonymous person who had an ideological vengeance against the 18th century and specified as mansions any houses over 100 sq. m.