Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Possibly we should put down an amendment to clarify the matter. Amendments Nos. 5, 7, 8 and 10 take different forms and address the matter in different ways, but they have in common a focus on the employee's right to privacy. My Department has consulted with the Office of the Attorney General and I am happy in light of the consultation to accept the spirit of the amendments. Comparisons are invidious so I ask Members to forgive me, but in so far as a choice must be made, the style of amendment No. 5 conforms to the crisp and precise style in which the legislation is drafted. It captures the objective of the group of amendments without repeating the detail which I am advised is unnecessary. With the agreement of the House, I propose to accept amendment No. 5. On that basis, the other amendments might not be pressed.

I understand I should move a verbal amendment at this stage as the insertion of a new subparagraph (iii) in subsection (1C)(c), which is proposed to be inserted by paragraph (b) of amendment No. 13, will require that the existing subparagraph (iii) is updated to subparagraph (iv). It is a consequential technical amendment arising from the acceptance of amendments Nos. 5 to No. 13. Perhaps the House can confirm its agreement to this change in the version of the Bill as proposed by the Seanad to be published after today's debate.

Therefore I propose that in paragraph (c) of subsection (1C) proposed to be inserted by paragraph (b) of amendment No. 13, the existing subparagraph (iii) is renumbered as subparagraph (iv).