Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I might pick up on the practicalities. The witnesses will be aware that the Bill we are looking at is a little sparse at the moment because we are walking in to see finished legislation moving rapidly in the autumn. I am conscious that they might not have time to answer me. If there is something they want to add in writing instead, I am happy to take that. As I understood it, in the previously published advice of the Attorney General, there was not an issue with the offences. I am looking now to the original occupied territories Bill. Certain areas of concern were identified but, as I understand it, sections 7, 8, 9 and 10 of that, which were about the offences, were not the concerns. Certainly in the previously published advice of the Attorney General, they seemed to be very clear.

Therefore, that is almost language that is there in previous legislation about services and the offence. At the moment the heads of Bill say it shall be "prohibited" but do not say it shall be an offence. Those are the kinds of things that might need to go into a final Bill. Also on that, I think the original occupied territories Bill provided the Minister could set out regulations, but the heads just say the Minister may prescribe postal codes. For a Bill to be effective we probably need to empower the Minister to make regulations so he or she can deliver on that. I am aware that is very obvious but I am trying to ensure we give really concrete recommendations as a committee to progress the Bill.