Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 8, subsection (2)(c), line 14, after "persons" to insert "being officers of the Minister or of another Minister of the Government".

This amendment seeks to insert a provision to the effect that a person appointed by the Minister would be an officer of the Minister or another Minister of the Government. Without this qualification, anyone could be appointed to a joint investigation team which would be inappropriate. Anyone appointed to an investigating team should be a public official of some kind in order that he or she would be accountable. The section leaves it open for anyone to be appointed to such a team, which would be questionable. I would be interested to hear the Minister of State's comments.