Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 September 2024

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth

General Scheme of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2024: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

3:30 pm

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The broad policy intent of head 8 will be reflected in the amendment. I cannot say nothing will change. The Deputy probably understands that. To give an example, in Senator Ruane's original Bill, it was provided for that the new prohibition on NDAs in the context of the various elements the Senator set out would apply retrospectively. That is not repeated in head 8 because the advice we got on drafting was that it would not be wise to apply it retrospectively. That is set out here. That is a difference between our provision and Senator Ruane's. Small changes like that may be made as the detailed drafting takes place but the policy intent remains the same as was set out in head 8. However, I cannot provide absolute guarantees that, when the drafters come to me, every single semicolon will be identical. However, we will have an opportunity prior to it coming in as a Committee Stage amendment. I have already committed to circulating the amendments as they come through and I can take informal feedback. On Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann, we will have an opportunity to go through them in an official context.