Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am not proposing to accept this amendment because I believe what the Deputy is seeking to achieve is already covered within the provisions of the Bill. Section 8(2)(b) requires the Government to have regard to available evidence including "any reliable and corroborated statement made by a person with knowledge of the circumstances and location of the burials concerned." Amendment No. 19 aims to create an additional requirement that the Government consider any reliable evidence of a third party with knowledge of the circumstances and location of the burials concerned. However, it is, in fact, already covered by section 8(2)(b), which stipulates that the Government must have regard to "any reliable and corroborated statement made by a person with knowledge of the circumstances and location of the burials concerned." The reference to "person" includes third parties and the requirement that such an individual provide a statement is not onerous in the circumstance. I would like to make it clear that I agree with the importance of taking all reliable evidence into account but I believe the current provision sufficiently provides for that.

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