Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 29, to delete lines 21 to 46 and in page 30, to delete lines 1 to 34.

Amendment No. 5 relating to section 15, amendment No. 6 relating to section 16 and amendment No. 17 are being discussed together.

On Committee Stage I indicated the possibility of Report Stage amendments to sections 15 and 16 to address possible duplication between the disclosure of interest provisions in section 15 and those already in place in the Ethics in Public Office Acts. Arising from discussions with the Attorney General's office, the amendment proposes the deletion of section 15, while amendment No. 6 replaces subsection (3) of section 16 with a revised wording which provides protection for the disclosure of information as required under the Ethics in Public Office Acts. Amendment No. 6 goes on to insert a new subsection (4) in section 16 which will facilitate the provision of information for the authority and the Minister and also, where the information may relate to the commission of an indictable offence, for other public authorities such as the Garda, the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Central Bank and the Revenue Commissioners.

Amendment No. 17 deletes paragraph 11 of Schedule 5 which applies section 15 to the appeals board. It is no longer required following the deletion of section 15.

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