Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 42:

In page 10, to delete lines 21 to 35, and in page 11, to delete lines 1 to 19.

This amendment reflects that fact that, on reading the Bill, I felt that the definition or scope of the public service body was too restrictive. My amendment proposed to strike out the definition, but having reflected on this I want to withdraw the amendment and adopt an approach of adding to, rather than striking out, that provision. Deputy Fleming has tabled a set of amendments, which are grouped with mine and which I now withdraw, which seeks to do just that.

I recognise that one could not be absolutely exhaustive in the Bill, because the Act would be like a telephone directory if one attempted that. Invariably, something would be missed. Nonetheless, in each of these amendments there is a good rationale for the inclusion of these bodies and for making specific mention of them in the Bill. I hope the Minister will consider that and accept this proposal from the Opposition benches not as a means to try to frustrate his efforts in the Bill, but rather as an attempt to add to it.

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