Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

These amendments provide clarification in respect of the circumstances in which advice from a solicitor or trade union official on legal matters constitutes legal advice. The Office of the Attorney General endorsed the proposal that a text in parentheses should be included in the provision to make clear that legal advice extends to advice on the operation of the protected disclosures regime.

The revised wording of section 9 also encompasses an official of an accepted body within the meaning of the Trade Union Act 1941 and a body included on the register maintained by the Registrar of Friendly Societies for the purpose of representing workers in their relations with employers or to act as representative bodies for particular interest groups.

We had a discussion in other House. While legal advice is protected, often on a matter of this type, trade union officials give quasi-legal advice and to make sure that is captured, I have proposed and accepted the amendment.