Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

The inspectorate will be amenable to testify before an Oireachtas committee. Accordingly, subsection (1) provides for the appearance of the chief inspector before such a committee. However, it is not a general provision in the sense that it is limited to a matter that is covered in a report laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in accordance with the provisions of section 109(2)(b).

Subsection (2) is a standard provision in such cases. It will prevent the chief inspector from commenting on the merits or objectives of Government policy before an Oireachtas committee or providing information that might facilitate the commission of a crime, etc.