I was not going to bring this up today but I will do so because we are in the year of elections. Today we have announced the wordings for the referendums to take place on 8 March. Particularly in light of the last Leaders' Questions, when someone was accused of being disingenuous, I would like to speak about falsehoods. People want to know what stance our political and party leaders are taking on the individual and community-based fake profiles on our social media platforms. The number of fake profiles now evolving, as individuals and as community-based profiles, is actually staggering. The policy is what we are asking for. What is Fianna Fáil's policy on potential candidates or already elected Fianna Fáil representatives who are using fake profiles - individual profiles, community-based profiles, or both - to promote their electability? In many instances that have been reported, this is being done at the expense of what are now criminal acts under Coco's law, and represents defamation in civil law. Does the Tánaiste, as leader of Fianna Fáil, condone candidates who hide behind fake profiles? That is what people are asking. Does he agree that a core issue for any elected representative must be honesty and transparency? What sanctions would the Tánaiste deem fit to apply to any elected representative or potential candidate who is found to use fake profiles? What would the sanction from his party be if he was to become aware, or if he is aware, of Fianna Fáil candidates who hide behind individual or community-based profiles?

If the Deputy is suggesting that somebody is doing this, maybe she should call it out, if there is validity to it. More generally, public representatives should be upfront and transparent in their communications. In my view, no public representative or political party should be creating a bot machine, or a whole series of approaches that facilitate trending and the creation of false news or misinformation.

In whatever legislation emerges, there will have to be a balance between the right to free speech, the right to proper debate and the need to avoid undermining our democracy and our electoral system. That is why the Electoral Commission, which has now been established, has been given specific powers in respect of online manipulation and online misinformation about people and politics. In the context of a general election campaign, in particular, the chance for an individual or political party to respond is limited. The damage can be done before polling day if fake profiles, or misleading information with regard to policies or initiatives, are put up. We saw that in an election in the United States some time ago, when outrageous and false allegations with regard to emails were made in respect of Hillary Clinton and gained traction during that campaign. We have given powers to the Electoral Commission to - at a minimum - call out any untoward action that is wrong and could influence people in the wrong way, particularly when it comes to trending stories and so on.

In a recent case, I was portrayed as supporting an investment product in particular advertisements. What concerned me was that I had to go to the courts to seek an order from Google as to who was behind those advertisements. No one should have to go to court to find out who is behind advertisements or material that is defamatory of an individual in the first instance, and in the second instance could mislead ordinary citizens into losing their money or investing in false products or scams.

There is an evolving situation, generally, in terms of the issue the Deputy raised. To come back to her fundamental point, we are elected public representatives. I do not understand the rationale, or why anybody would want to do this. Normally it is the opposite, if I may say so. Most people here are not shy in seeking publicity and making sure their photographs and titles are in the press releases and various postings that are online. It is a new departure. I understand some people might want to try to do something behind the scenes. That is not right in my view. Public representatives should be transparent, upfront and open.

I thank the Tánaiste. The only question that was asked was whether Fianna Fáil has a policy with regard to its own elected representatives. The Tánaiste did not tell us what that policy is. That is what people want to know. Is there a sanction for Fianna Fáil's elected representatives? The Tánaiste said he was the victim of such a profile and had to go to the courts.

Would it not be best to start at home with Fianna Fáil's own elected representatives and tell people how the party sanctions them and candidates who are going to face the electorate? The party supports the hate speech Bill, which will sanction society over the types of thing its potential candidates and elected representatives are purporting and spewing online while hiding behind individual and fake community-based profiles. People want to know what Fianna Fáil’s policy is on keeping its own elected representatives in line in this regard. The Tánaiste accused my colleague of being disingenuous, but if Fianna Fáil is promoting the hate speech Bill, it is disingenuous to try to blame wider society when it cannot start at home. I am asking about Fianna Fáil’s policy on sanctions.

I am representing the Government this afternoon in respect of Government policy, by the way, not just the Fianna Fáil Party. Fianna Fáil has an ethical framework governing social media policy. If the Deputy had bothered to ask me as leader of the party, I would have provided-----

That was the question.

-----her with that. We have a disciplinary process as well if anyone violates that policy or undermines people in an untoward and unacceptable way. I hope all parties have.

And Independents.

It is an evolving situation. Does the Deputy have a specific example? She has laced her contribution with innuendo, which is difficult to reply to. I do not know the specifics of what she is talking about.

The specifics-----

I have no idea about what she is alleging and who she is alleging it against.

I asked what Fianna Fáil's policy was.

The Deputy has just thrown something out there into the ether, which is not a very honest way of doing things. If she has a problem with a particular person, say it to me. Say it to the Fianna Fáil Party. We have commented on other tweets about situations that we found unacceptable. That happens across all parties and individuals. There is a policy and a disciplinary process to deal with it.