Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Ward and the Minister. They have made a valid point on how to define the online space. This is where it stings us as Opposition Senators that we are doing all Stages together. We recognise there is an issue and if there was time in between the Stages we would have been able to work together to ensure that perhaps we could look at and sensitively handle what the definition of journalism would be and how to approach it.

It has been said many times that we are responding to a court ruling and this is emergency legislation. Even though I do not dispute this, it is still legislation that will apply more widely. It is still legislation that will be in existence. What also concerns me is that, unfortunately, an amendment was ruled out of order. It was a funny one to be ruled out of order because all it proposed was introducing a sunset clause. I do not know how a sunset clause in legislation would impose a cost on the State. It is another one for the book of weird rulings by the Seanad.

We would be a lot more comfortable if the sunset clause had been put in. At least then we would know that the arrival of the legislation to which the Minister referred will have urgency. In that Bill we will be able to define journalism and who is a journalist and deal with some of the other issues that have been raised today. I do not underestimate the Minister's ability in any shape or form to get it done but funny things can happen in politics in a year or two. We are a bit nervous about waiting for the legislation to come. It would be great to have a clearer idea from the Minister as to when she sees legislation being tabled to address some of the wider issues that have come from the need to put this legislation through the Houses.