Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

That is a fair question. The provisions of the Bill apply to existing peace commissioners. However, for any particular commissioner, or class of commissioners, to be able to exercise this function, there must be a designation either of the class or the particular commissioner. I inserted this provision on the advice of the Attorney General. There have been certain difficulties in regard to the status of peace commissioners in the Dublin area because of the creation of new administrative counties. I was anxious to ensure any difficulties that might be occasioned thereby would be covered by the legislation and that we would not face into fresh difficulties.

There is a need to look at the position of peace commissioners in general to consider what useful functions they can perform in the assistance of the legal system. It is important that lay people should be associated with the administration of justice and that it should not be exclusively the prerogative of the legal profession.

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