Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Craughwell and other Senators raised this matter with me during the Committee Stage debate on 29 March. I agreed in principle to accept the amendment regarding communication with local authorities and to introduce an amendment on Report Stage. This is provided for in section 2(a)(ii). To incorporate the amendment into section 2(a) there is the substitution of the earlier section 2(a). The content of the provision remains the same - it is merely reformatted.

The purpose of amendment No. 20 is to change and extend the period of consultation for the making of by-laws to 90 days to take account of concerns expressed by many Seanad Members about the insufficiency of the consultation period. This amendment will enable objections to draft by-laws to be submitted for up to 90 days from the date of the publication of notice of the proposal to make by-laws.

Amendment No. 21 is related to the consultation period for the making of by-laws.Amendment No. 22, as stated previously, relates to the consultation period for the making of by-laws. It provides that if any person submits an objection during the 90-day period, Waterways Ireland shall consider the objection. Amendment No. 23, as stated previously, relates to the consultation period for the making of by-laws. This amendment provides that the by-laws can be made after the expiry of the 90 days. The purpose of amendment No. 24 is to delete the title “Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht” and replace it with “Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs”.

Shall I speak to amendment No. 25 now or later?