Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I looked at this amendment earlier. Section 8(2) of the Bill states:

For the purposes of subsection (1), regard shall be had to available evidence including— (a) any expert technical reports or other reliable information in respect of the condition, location and age of the burials concerned, and

(b) any reliable and corroborated statement made by a person with knowledge of the circumstances and location of the burials concerned.

Deputy Ward's amendment proposes to insert the words, "any reliable evidence from a third party with knowledge of the circumstances and location of the burials concerned.” I believe section 8(2)(a) and section 8(2)(b) are not exclusive. They are two examples of types of evidence that can be used because the subsection clearly states "regard shall be had to available evidence including" both. It is not necessary to bring in the Deputy's particular provision. It is already encompassed in the type of evidence that section 8(2) allows.