Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister. What is in section 46L comprehensively covers what is suggested in the amendment. If we should look at anything as having a chilling effect on broadcasting, I suggest it is probably more the defamation laws than anything else. It should be noted that no party leader or Government Minister is currently suing the broadcaster under the defamation laws. It is the defamation laws that probably need to be examined more in some of this area, but section 46L, as currently worded, sufficiently covers some of the concerns the Senator Higgins raises.