Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, lines 30 to 32, to delete all words from and including "com-" in line 30 down to and including "Centre" in line 32 and substitute the following:

"commonly known as a Citizens Information Service (CIS) [being an independent non-statutory body Incorporated and Limited by the Guarantee of its Members] or a Citizens Information Centre (CIC) [being an Unincorporated body operating under the authority of a CIS]".

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs was disinclined to accept the amendment on Committee Stage because he felt outlining the status of the citizens information service and citizens information centres was superfluous. However, unfortunately, I refer to a second issue, which I did not raise previously, that obliges him to accept the amendment. A serious drafting error has been made. The Bill refers to "citizen information service" and "citizen information centres" but the plural should apply. These are usually known as citizens information centres and citizens information service. The only way to address this in the legislation is to accept my amendment. This places the Minister for Education and Science in a difficult position because if it is not accepted, the legislation will be passed with incorrect titles for both the service and centres involved.

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