Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I gave an example this morning - it was something in which I was involved a number of years ago - where a regulation was in place for over 20 years and, in fact, there was no appropriate legislation underpinning that regulation.

As I said, the regulation was in place for 20 years but there were no proper checks and balances in respect of it until the matter was brought to the attention of the courts. It is for this reason I raise the need to ensure that the powers we provide for under legislation are not later provided by way of regulation because that process does not get the same level of scrutiny.