Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 40:

In page 21, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:

"Guidance to Advisory Council

15.(1) The Advisory Council shall have regard to any guidance given by the Minister to it in relation to the exercise of its functions under this Act.

(2) The Minister may not give the Advisory Council guidance as to the content of any advice or report.

(3) The power to guide guidance under subsection (1)includes power to vary or revoke the guidance.".

This amendment is about the Government not influencing the advisory council and ensuring its complete independence. That is the thinking behind it. While the advisory council should have regard to guidance given by the Minister, the Minister may not give any advice as to the content of any report to ensure the report is a completely independent exercise and that there is no political interference in it.