Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I move amendment No. 30:

In page 11, lines 36 to 38, to delete all words from and including "such" in line 36 down to and including "relevant" in line 38 and substitute the following:

"premium rate service providers, other interested persons and, as it considers relevant, other regulatory bodies in the State".

On Committee Stage, Deputy Coveney proposed an amendment to section 13(2) to provide that, in addition to premium rate service providers, "members of the public or user representatives" should be also allowed to make representations to ComReg on a published draft code of practice. Following further consideration of the matter, I am happy to provide for such wider consultation by amending section 13(2) to include consultation with other interested persons and other regulatory bodies in the State. The term "interested persons" will encompass members of the public and user representatives. For consistency, I am also introducing amendments Nos. 30 and 33 to sections 13(1) and 13(3) to allow such wider consultation at all stages of the preparation and publication of a code of practice, including where the commission amends or revokes a code of practice.

I cannot accept amendment No 32. However, following further consideration of the points made by Deputy Coveney on Committee Stage, amendments Nos. 30, 31 and 33 have been introduced to allow consultation. In other words, amendments Nos. 30, 31 and 33 implement the intent of what Deputy Coveney was seeking.

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