Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I recognise that the Labour Party has had an issue with this for several years, and that it is not just a recent concern. This matter was debated at great length in 2007 in the amendment which made it permissible that implementing regulations to provide for indictable offences be carried over. The issue was decided by the Oireachtas at that time.

There is no substantive change due to this. The section simply takes account of the new arrangements under the Lisbon treaty, and so does not make any substantive change on where we were after the 2007 Act. It simply re-iterates that position, but includes the Lisbon treaty within it.

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