Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What I can say is that, each year, a High Court judge will have to report to the Taoiseach on the operation of a number of sections, but in particular where we have this focused monitoring. That judge would have to look at how this has been applied and where it has been approved. Certainly, if there is anything that arises where it potentially has been abused or not applied in the right way, that is something the High Court judge would have to report on. There is that level of oversight there in the fact this has to be reported on every year, so the High Court judge looks at this. Again, we have to see how this would operate, but the intention is that this would be used in circumstances less than three months, but obviously we have to build in where there may be exceptional circumstances or where this may be required for longer periods. However, I think there is that level of scrutiny with the High Court report at the end of the year.

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