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

Several paragraphs under section 13(5), namely paragraphs (b) to (e), require a person to specify the date, time and circumstances in which he or she has found or believes to have found a prescribed, as well as a description of the monument and the site where it is situated. The initial part of the amendment being "an account of the find's discovery" would appear to be a duplication of what is already provided for under the Bill. The second part of the amendment is not considered to be a reasonable obligation to place on members of the public, as a person, through no fault of his or her own, may not be in a position to provide the information required, such as how interference during the process of the monument's discovery may have had an effect on the monument. In any event, general powers will exist under section 187, including powers that require a person to provide any information about a monument as may be reasonably sought. For these reasons, I ask the Deputy to withdraw this amendment, as it is provided for elsewhere in the Bill.