There continues to be an almost total vacuum in the regulation of online campaigning. Concerns have been heightened by recent revelations of high profile campaigns in recent weeks. The Taoiseach will be aware of the Bill I introduced last year, the Online Advertising and Social Media (Transparency) Bill 2017. I wrote to the Taoiseach about it last week and my party leader has also raised it with the Taoiseach several times in recent weeks. The Bill passed Second Stage last December and last night the joint committee on communications considered the Bill and decided to prioritise its passage or ease its scrutiny including extra meetings as required. I also note that Mr. Martin Fraser, Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, highlighted the Bill in his report which was published last night, indicating the real issues that it raised and the need for regulation in this area.

As the Taoiseach himself said in relation to another Bill, Report and Committee Stages are the very place for amendments to be tabled, scrutiny to occur and discussions to take place. In light of the very real need for this legislation to be enacted, will the Taoiseach withdraw the Government's opposition to the Bill and engage constructively with myself and colleagues on the joint committee on communications to advance the legislation in a constructive fashion?

I am currently dealing with the Data Protection Bill and I hope to advance matters through the Seanad later today. As Deputy Lawless was reminded last week, this issue involves a number of Departments and there is an interdepartmental working group under the chairmanship of the Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten. I would be happy to ensure that the points raised by Deputy Lawless, given his commitment to this issue, could be incorporated into that working group and return to the Dáil with a workable and positive report. I look at things from my own Department, namely the Department of Justice and Equality, and would urge Members to acknowledge that this is an area that requires a whole of Government approach, which is what we are doing under the chairmanship of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.