Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

That is the point. I find it unusual that we have these three amendments. In layman's English, the Minister is essentially saying that if the wrong Minister makes a decision and he genuinely believed at the time he was the right Minister to make it, it is valid. I do not believe this would apply to anybody else in the country. If a person tells a judge "I made a mistake; I genuinely believed I was not driving over the speed limit", the case does not get thrown out or dismissed. I have never heard the like of this in my life. It would be the best defence. If this was to apply nationwide, no law would ever be implemented.

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