Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 2 and 3 are Government amendments introduced in the Seanad. They both amend section 9 of the Bill. Section 9 provides that the Minister may make regulations to make provision for the procedures that are to apply to enable a child to present his or her views in person or in writing to the authority or court, as the case may be. It also provides that the Minister may make regulations to make provision for the procedures that are to apply to enable a child to nominate an appropriate person to present the child's views orally or in writing to the authority or court. As initially drafted, the child is restricted to expressing his or her views in person or in writing. The amendment to the section attempts to future-proof the legislation to ensure a child who may wish to use other means, including electronic means, to give his or her views to the court or authority may do so. The provision will also apply in cases where the child nominates an appropriate person to present his or her views to the authority or court.

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