Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the introduction of regulations, the first session this morning included a former judge of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Sumption, and the president of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, Dr. Gianni Buquicchio, both of whom agreed as a matter of rule of law that it would not be possible to enforce a regulation before it was published. There was a considerable delay even when a regulation was announced with great fanfare at a press conference by the Minister or indeed on prime time television, the "Late Late Show" or wherever.

Does Mr. Herrick agree that somebody could not be prosecuted for breaching a regulation in circumstances where it had not been published? Does he have any concerns about the manner in which regulations were published or not published?