Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

First, and importantly, we have already outlined that the commission will be tasked with reviewing electoral events and what is working and what has not worked well in electoral events. That is significant. Second, there is the fact that this committee will continue to have a role in the research and advocacy function of the commission in respect of recommendations and the reports that will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas arising from the commission's work. It is very much an interactive process. There will be a constant stream of information coming from the commission in the form of reports and research work, with this committee and Oireachtas Members having an opportunity to feed back into that. I think the commission is strong enough to carry out that work. We have talked this afternoon about a huge range of work we are now tasking the commission to do, which it will do, but it is important too that we have the flexibility I spoke about for it to be able to carry out that work. While wholly accepting the rationale behind this amendment and related amendments, the commission requires that level of flexibility to be able to carry out its work. I reassure the committee that it and Oireachtas Members will have an opportunity to interact continuously with the commission in its work.