Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 100:

In page 51, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following:

"(4) Whenever the Minister, or such other Minister of the Government as the case may be, makes, modifies or revokes any instruments under the statutory provisions referred to in subsection (1), or publishes proposals for legislative change concerning railway safety and related matters, he or she shall, at the same time, cause copies of any recommendations of the Commission under subsection (1)(c) or arising from the Commission's consideration of proposals under subsection (3), to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.".

On Committee Stage my predecessor accepted, in principle, Deputy Naughten's amendment No. 55 which proposed that recommendations from the commission to the Minister regarding this Bill after its enactment or relating to proposed legislation affecting the commission, should be laid before the Oireachtas. I have addressed the issue in this amendment, which requires me or any other Minister concerned to lay before each House of the Oireachtas any recommendations concerning existing or proposed statutory provisions affecting the carrying out of the commission's functions under this Act. This will allow the Oireachtas to be fully informed as to the relevant background to any legislative changes. I am happy to take amendment No. 55 into consideration. It is a good one.

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