Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is in agreement with me about my objectives, which he said he shares, and I am in agreement with the Minister in that I certainly do not wish to put the State at any risk of infringement proceedings. I do, however, at times feel that this threat - that the proposals infringe the Constitution - is often put against Private Members' Bills. We often hear this. I do, however, accept that it is a risk.

My concern is around the definition of electoral activities. Is the Minister confident that "electoral activities" covers it and that we do not need my amendment, which covers "political activities"? It could also have been representational activities. The Minister has said that this is not needed and that "electoral activities" covers Members' work and communications as public representatives in the public interest.

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