Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

Among the officers designated for the taking of recognisances is included, in subsection (3)(c), "a peace commissioner designated for that purpose by order of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform". I assume this does not refer to a regular peace commissioner as we understand it. While the Minister said he was restoring the status of peace commissioner for the purposes of the taking of recognisances, it seems this provision refers to a designated as opposed to an appointed peace commissioner. Does this signify the introduction of a further stratum of peace commissioners, that is, the common or garden commissioner on the one hand and, on the other, the peace commissioner who is designated specifically for the purpose of taking recognisance? Is this effectively a new office of super-commissioner with special responsibility?

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