Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I move amendment No. 18:

In page 12, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:

"(2) Where the State has ratified an international instrument providing that a specified offence shall be contrary to international law, the Minister may by order apply this Act, with such modifications as are appropriate, to such offence as if it were an ICC offence.".

While the Minister of State referred to this matter, the amendment is important. It was suggested to us by Amnesty International and debated on Committee Stage. The amendment would broaden the power of the Minister and was referred to by Deputy Michael D. Higgins in a previous debate. I hope the Minister of State could see his way to accepting it. While I do not normally like to confer powers on a Minister to make law by way of secondary legislation, it is an important issue that where, in the future, specified offences shall become contrary to international law as international jurisprudence develops and becomes more encompassing, we should be able to capture it within the confines of the ICC legislation. While I do not know whether the Minister had an opportunity to consider the matter, I hope the Minister of State will accept the amendment.

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