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

I thank the Deputies for tabling the amendment to give me an opportunity to discuss the issue. The adoption and taking on board of the Deputy’s amendment would result in the deletion of section 18 as it now stands. I cannot agree to the deletion of section 18 and its substitution with the proposed amendment, but I am certainly interested in revisiting this provision. I will return to the section on Report Stage with further enhancements following detailed consideration of it by advisory counsel in the Office of the Attorney General. The reconfigured text had not been settled to the satisfaction of the Parliamentary Counsel in time for us to deal with the issue when we tabled this group of amendments last July. It was too late for me to table an amendment to it in the context of where we stood. Work has been done, but, as previously stated, I will bring forward a specific amendment to the section to remove ministerial consents. Issues arise in that regard, but there are also other matters that we are considering in regard to codes of practice.

In the context of the Deputy’s amendment, it is inconceivable that codes of practice issued by an independent regulatory authority would be, in essence, subservient to the professional bodies which it seeks to regulate. Obviously, there would be consultative engagement that would be important in regard to codes of practice. Again, that is a matter I intend to revisit. I am not happy with the manner in which the amendment tabled by the Deputies is framed. If they are agreeable, I invite them not to press the amendment today but to retable it on Report Stage. We will bring forward amendments on Report Stage, at which time we can revisit the matter.