James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 24:

In page 6, lines 24 and 25, to delete all words from and including “Proceedings” in line 24 down to and including line 25 and substitute the following: “Notwithstanding section 52(4) of the Children Act 2001, where a child under 17 years of age is charged with an offence under this Act, no further proceedings in the matter (other than any remand in custody or on bail) shall be taken except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.”.

I referred to the need to introduce a technical amendment to section 8 of the Bill following agreement with Deputy Howlin to do so. This amendment would mean that section 8 is aligned with section 252 of the Children Act 2001 in relation to the types of proceedings that may be brought with or without consent of the DPP. Deputy Howlin was anxious to ensure the wording used was similar to what was in the Bill as initiated. I think this amendment achieves that and I, therefore, ask Deputies to support it.

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