Order of Business - 2nd February 2010.

Order of Business - 2nd February 2010.
Senator David Norris: Can the Leader give us any information on the privacy Bill which we have been promised but for which no date has been given? I was one of those who took a very clear stand on the defamation and libel legislation when it was brought before this House. I raise the issue in the context of the Lillis manslaughter case. A person involved in that case, Ms Jean Treacy, was described in unpleasant terms but worse than this, virtually all of the newspapers appeared to be outraged at being baulked by the appropriate action of the police in not permitting them to take photographs of her in getting her into the courtroom with a degree of privacy.


An Cathaoirleach: That matter is still before the courts.


Senator David Norris: It is not.


An Cathaoirleach: It is.


Senator David Norris: I make the point not about the case but about the press coverage of the case. It is a vital point which I need to make at this time. What is the public interest in knowing the names of this person’s parents and siblings, their addresses, occupations and the number of children they have? This is completely wrong. I ask the Press Council to look at this issue. There are some very decent and good people on it, including a former Provost of Trinity College who signed my papers for this House, but I was strongly critical of it. I would like to see some teeth. This is an outrage. There is no justifiable interest.

With regard to human rights, during the week a five year old Nigerian girl suffering from sickle cell anaemia was served with deportation papers from this State. Her consultant took the matter so seriously that she went on the radio and said there was a high probability that the girl concerned would die if she returned to Nigeria because there was no appropriate treatment available to her. She has no spleen. Yet, she has been served with another deportation order. I hope it will not be carried out, but these things frequently are.

I attended the Holocaust memorial and listened very carefully to the words which were said there. I listened to a woman cellist who had been in Auschwitz speaking on a radio programme in which she spoke, in great detail, of the ordinariness of the people. I remember the words of Hannah Arendt about the banality of evil and this kind of bureaucracy.

It is a dreadful deed and I ask the Leader to bring it to the attention of the Minster and appeal not to send this girl back to her death in Nigeria.