Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 44 clarifies that the Minister need not personally authorise every officer and may delegate this power. This is a practical change which has been made at the suggestion of Deputy Ó Cuív in recalling his experience as a Minister, of which I am sure he has fond recollections. It is sensible to provide that Ministers should not be required to sign off on all such matters. If an authorised officer must be appointed in an emergency, for example, and the Minister is not in the country, other people must be available to proceed with the authorisation. Such persons must have been delegated the power of authorisation by the Minister.