Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Fuair mise níos mó ná 80 leasuithe ó Sinn Féin ar maidin. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

The fact that this amendment is on a separate white sheet arises from an unusual situation in which the Bills Office, using what it terms editorial discretion, originally tabled this amendment in a form which materially differed from the amendment prepared by Parliamentary Counsel. As Parliamentary Counsel, upon receiving it, was not happy with the editorial amendment worked by the Bills Office, it had to be returned to its original form. I did not do it. That is the explanation.

Deputy Murphy asked how the 1989 regulations can continue in force. This Bill does not disband the Garda Síochána. There have to be transitional provisions. Section 119 makes clear that unless and until new regulations are put in place, the old regulations will continue to exist. This is not inconsistent with any other matter. We do not simply throw out regulations made under earlier Acts and say that we will start from scratch. On the question of when it is anticipated that new regulations will be put in place, Deputy Murphy is aware that the Government asked Senator Maurice Hayes to chair an oversight committee on all the preparatory measures necessary to give full effect to the new legislation. In so far as that requires amendments to the disciplinary regulations and similar matters, I hope to be in a position to put forward a scheme of events so that, by the commencement of the Act, as much of the transformation work as possible will have been done.

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