Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The Bill provides in section 73 that the commission may appoint any of its staff as inspectors. All the enforcement powers of the commission are vested in the inspectorate of the commission. It is logical that these powers should be available to the highest officer of the commission, that is, a commissioner. However, there is no mechanism for a commissioner to be appointed as an inspector. This amendment corrects this oversight by providing that a commissioner will automatically become an inspector on his or her appointment.

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