Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 17:

In page 26, lines 26 and 27, to delete “in such manner as he or she considers appropriate” and substitute “and lay them before the Houses of the Oireachtas within one week”.

Tá an leasú seo ag déileáil leis an ábhar céanna a bhí á phlé againn roimh seo, fá dtaobh stiúradh a thabhairt don eagraíocht nó agency maidir le maoin a dhíol. Deirtear sa Bhille, i ndiaidh an stiúradh sin a thabhairt faoi subsection (5), go bhfoilseoidh an tAire an stiúradh sin sa dóigh a shíleann sise nó seisean an dóigh is fearr. Tá fadhb agam le sin, mar go luíonn sé leis an Aire cinneadh a dhéanamh cén dóigh is fearr leis an stiúradh sin a fhoilsiú. Fosta, deirtear ag tús an ailt beag sin go ndéanfar é seo "chomh luath agus atá sé réasúnta". Tá fadhb agam leis an bhfrása sin "chomh luath agus atá sé réasúnta" agus leis an treoir go luíonn sé leis an Aire cinneadh a dhéanamh maidir le cén dóigh is fearr an stiúradh nó direction atá tugtha a fhoilsiú. An rud atá sa leasú atá curtha chun tosaigh agam ná go mbainfear amach an giota sin.
The amendment suggests the deletion of "in such a manner as he or she considers appropriate" and its replacement with the phrase "and lay them before the Houses of the Oireachtas within one week". Obviously, this relates to the earlier issue which arose in the context of what is reasonably practicable and how a direction might be published and not left to the discretion of the Minister to issue in a manner which he or she feels appropriate. Again, the issue here is appropriate oversight. This has happened on previous occasions where, for example, on Christmas Eve a Minister might have decided to put something up on a Department's website. This means that it was published in the manner which the relevant Minister considered appropriate. The direction should be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and this should be done in a reasonable period, namely, one week. It is my contention that amendment No. 17 would strengthen the Bill.