Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Here is the point. There was a time in this House when if Members suggested there should be representative organisations at all for the Defence Forces, they would be told they were being whatever the term for "populist" was in the 1950s or 1960s. They would have been told that if somebody was to suggest they should have an entitlement to affiliate with ICTU. There is always an evolution in these matters. The difficulty I have with section 2A..g)(i) and (ii) on page 28 is that in some ways it is contradictory. It starts with the words "without prejudice to the purpose of an association of representing members", but it then goes on to say that an association shall not "make...statement[s] or comment concerning a political matter or matter of Government policy" and likewise in terms of encouraging members. I am open to an alternative wording for "political matter". It and "Government policy" could-----