Sinn Féin will be supporting the Minister's amendments from the Seanad, which are largely technical, as well as the amendment that explicitly clarifies the defence of live broadcasts. We will, however, be opposing the Bill itself. While the Bill contains important provisions with regard to strategic lawsuits against public participation, SLAPPs, for example, and Sinn Féin remains willing to engage constructively with the Minister in relation to defamation reform or any other matter, we oppose the removal of juries from defamation trials. It is unnecessary, given the outworkings of the Higgins case. That said, I express significant disappointment in regard to how the Minister has progressed this Bill. Government Ministers commonly talk about being willing to work with the Opposition, asking what the Opposition's ideas are and asking us to bring forward solutions. Sinn Féin has brought forward multiple proposals that would have tempered the wholesale removal of juries. So, too, did other Opposition parties and Independents in both the Dáil and the Seanad. In particular, one amendment in the Seanad would have effectively aligned the law on mode of trial with that of the North, unifying the law on this issue for the whole island. That would have added benefit that should have been given greater consideration. Distinct from this, we also brought forward amendments touching on other parts of the Bill following significant deliberations in both Houses. It is, therefore, incredibly disappointing that what we see returning from the Seanad is the Minister's acceptance of just one amendment, bringing explicit clarity to an existing provision. That, to my mind, does not reflect a Minister who is genuinely interested in hearing from the Opposition and good legislative practice, or give due respect to the function of these Houses in their totality.

Sentiment score: 0.29