Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 8, line 15, after "and" to insert ", for the purposes of any legal proceedings,".

We were also in disagreement on this on Committee Stage. It seems to be taken that a declaration by the Minister that a country is a party to the convention is de facto evidence of that fact. I understand from communicating with the Department on Committee Stage that this is in reference to legal proceedings and should be made clear in the Bill. In the absence of this additional clause the Minister would, in theory, have the power to declare countries that were not party to the convention to be so, simply because he declared them so. I believe the Minister of States disagrees with me.

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