Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013
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Action to be taken where good name of person is directly impugned. |
23.— (1) Where, during the course of the conduct of the Part 2 inquiry, the chairman of the committee is of the opinion that the good name of a person is being, or is likely to be, directly impugned, in contravention of a provision of this Act, by a witness or committee member, the chairman shall— | |
(a) direct the witness or committee member, as the case may be— | ||
(i) to cease giving the evidence or making the utterance concerned, or | ||
(ii) to not give the evidence or make the utterance concerned, | ||
and | ||
(b) if paragraph (a)(i) applies, direct that the allegation constituting such impugnment shall not be published. | ||
(2) The privilege against defamation in relation to proceedings before the Part 2 inquiry shall not apply to a publication by a person (not being a member of a House) of an allegation referred to in subsection (1) made by a witness. |