Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Mansergh for clarifying one aspect of this matter. We are talking about dissolution. There is nothing unusual about this measure. Section 35 states "The Taoiseach may, after consultation with the Office and any relevant Minister of the Government who has representation on the body concerned, by order dissolve the Council, the Forum, the Centre, or any body established under section 7."

It is entirely appropriate that the Taoiseach shall have the right to dissolve a body if the circumstances altered its role or if agreement to this effect were reached in the context of social partnership. As the bodies will all have a statutory basis following the enactment of the Bill, there is a need to have a section which would facilitate their dissolution, otherwise they would exist indefinitely and, in any event, an order to dissolve a body would require the prior approval of each House of the Oireachtas under section 4 before it could be adopted. Accordingly, I cannot accept the proposed deletion.