Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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50. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which a person was selected as a nominee for appointment to the expert group set up by the director general of the European Commission's Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology to advise the European Commission on the spread of false information across traditional and social media; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3717/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is an internal matter for the European Commission as to how they set up the expert group which will advise the Commission on the spread of false information across traditional and social media. The Government was not involved in the selection process and was not asked to provide nominees. I am,however,pleased to welcome the appointment of two Irish members, Mr Noel Curran and Mr Stephen Rae, to this expert group. Neither individual is an Irish Government nominee, but I am confident that each will bring a wealth of valuable experience to their role and to this very topical and important issue.