New privacy bill given priority

THE Government will publish new legislation protecting privacy during the next three months.

A Privacy Bill is among the list of 16 bills given priority for publication before the summer recess.

The Defamation Bill was due to be published before Easter but was delayed after several Fianna Fáil Cabinet members, including Noel Dempsey, Brian Cowen and Martin Cullen, insisted that provisions to protect the privacy of individuals from media intrusions also be included.