Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 64:

In page 24, lines 33 and 34, to delete “, made with the approval of the Government”.

The reasoning for this is similar to the previous amendment. We believe the Bill should allow for the authority and not the Minister to issue written directives to the Garda Commissioner. We have heard the arguments per se. Clearly, there are two rather differing opinions on the matter. The Government stance is to try to retain as much control as possible over what will be an independent policing authority. We believe the authority should be far more independent. On that basis we are going to press the amendment.