Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

The term "competent authority" does not appear in the Bill or in any of the Deputy's amendments, so there is no need to define it in section 2. For that reason I ask the Deputy to withdraw amendment No. 1. I assure him that the Minister is the competent authority and that responsibility in this area is not shared with the DTA. The latter will act on behalf of the Minister.

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