Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 38:

In page 18, subsection (3), line 1, to delete "The Minister shall, in consultation with the Chairperson," and substitute "The Chairperson shall".

This amendment removes any ministerial involvement from determining when and where the authority should first meet. The chairperson will determine this alone within three months of the authority's establishment day. This is another of the many amendments I am tabling to protect the independence of the authority from ministerial influence and any perception of any nature that there will be ministerial influence in the day-to-day workings of the authority.