I request that the Leader invite either the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, or the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to the House prior to the recess to outline what action they will take regarding the broadcasting of a documentary entitled "Brexit: Behind Closed Doors". The promotional material states, "As Brexit continues to dominate headlines around Europe-----

I cannot hear the Senator.

May I repeat it?

Why not?

I am asking the Leader to invite the Tanáiste or the Minister of State at his Department, Deputy McEntee, to come before the House prior to the summer recess to outline what action they will take regarding the broadcasting of a documentary entitled "Brexit: Behind Closed Doors". The promotional material states, "As Brexit continues to dominate headlines around Europe, this behind-the scenes doc gains unprecedented access to lift the veil on the negotiation process." It was broadcast on RTÉ on Monday, 8 July, from 10.45 p.m. to midnight, and will be followed up by a second documentary tonight at 10.35 p.m. My personal objection is that it was secretly filmed and illegally recorded with hidden equipment in collaboration with Guy Verhofstadt, MEP, the former Prime Minister of Belgium. He alleged that he met a delegation of UK MPs in September 2017.

The Senator knows that he should not make allegations of illegality against people that may or may not be-----

I am not a judge. He alleged that he met-----

If the Senator believes the recording was illegal, he should report the matter to the authorities.

I am doing it here. This is my platform so I am reporting it here. I want the European Parliament to look into this situation.

Allegations of illegality are not meant to be reported in the Seanad.

Allow me to finish. Mr. Verhofstadt alleged he met a delegation of UK MPs in September 2017. In fact, it was a meeting of a British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly committee led by its chairman, Andrew Rosindell, MP, which I attended, and it was recorded and broadcast last night on RTÉ 1.

Was Senator Leyden recorded?

Yes. That committee was working on a report on the effects of Brexit on Ireland and its relationship with the UK.

Did the Senator know he was being recorded?

I did not. The recordings were illegal and broke data protection laws.

The Senator cannot say they were illegal.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach should watch the programme before he says anything more. It has damaged relations between the European Union and the UK. I understand that Mr. Verhofstadt has been reappointed as a representative of the European Parliament on Brexit. Furthermore-----

The Senator has been here long enough to know that if there is some illegality involved, he should not report it here. It should be reported to the proper authorities.

The man was wired from top to bottom.

I do not care.

There was once something called phone tapping. This was tapping meetings. I was once a Minister of State at the then Department of Industry and Commerce and I would never expect a member of the European Parliament to be wired up-----

The Senator's time has more than expired.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach remembers the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. We brought out a report - Inquiry into Brexit and the Future of British-Irish Relations - in October 2017, which is worth reading. I want this matter to be fully investigated.

I thank the Senator. The Leader will-----

This has had serious repercussions and the Government should act. It should take this as seriously as it would if someone in this House was tapping people's phones or illegally recording the meetings of any of the parliamentary parties.

The Senator should resume his seat.