Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I agree with the spirit of this amendment but not with the amendment itself. The law relating to enactments dealing with non-nationals is capable of being restated under the Statute Law (Restatement) Act, which has recently come into operation. The effect of that Act is that where a particular statute has been amended or can be found in a number of places, from time to time the Attorney General can produce a single effectively consolidated and updated text for the guidance of the public and the use of practitioners. It is not simply to be used as a domestic document for guidance but a document which can be used in court. People can see the Attorney General's certificate on the front of it and then realise it is the law in an official form.