Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This was discussed at the meeting before any letter was sent out. It was discussed by the Attorney General with the legal advisers to the Women of Honour. Reading it, the intent is quite obvious. If we include every aspect of the health and safety Act as a term of reference that is a problem due to the length of time the tribunal would subsequently take and it is by including that one would be equating things, it is arguable. We are saying we should not equate the two. We must prioritise what the inquiry should inquire into in order to ensure that we get to the core of the issues raised by the Women of Honour, by others and by the independent review group. Then the judge will have discretion to ensure matters that are core to the issues that have been raised are dealt with. That is legal parlance and had transferred, I understand, between the Attorney General and the legal advisers when they were going through various aspects and various amendments that were coming forward.

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