Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

On Committee Stage in the Dáil, all Opposition parties urged that the member of the commission selected to act as chairperson in the event of the commission chairman being absent or indisposed should be described as "deputy chairperson" rather than as "acting chairperson". The term "acting" was used in the Bill because a substitute was unlikely to be required frequently and because the acting chairperson's functions were confined to presiding over meetings or calling them when the chairperson was unavailable or unable to do so.

On Report Stage in the Dáil, I reiterated the view that "acting" was a more accurate and honest description but, in deference to the strength of the Opposition's feelings on the matter, I accepted an amendment which replaced "acting chairperson" with "deputy chairperson" in section 7. These technical amendments are consequential on the acceptance of that amendment and change the title "acting chairperson" to "deputy chairperson". This occurs in a number of sections.