Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the support I am hearing from across the House for the amendment. I will make a couple of points of useful clarification. It does relate to lay persons, in response to Senator Norris's question, because where my amendment is inserted is subject to subsection (2) which sets out the exclusion of a number of members who are effectively not lay person members. My proposal in terms of training is something that would and should be open to all members of the commission. Senator Norris mentioned that there is scope within the Bill for that to happen within the commission.

My amendment relates to expenses because a number of the other persons who would be there in a representative capacity from bodies, be they from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, or the Judiciary, would have other mechanisms for expenses. This is to clarify that expenses may be made so that we do not have a situation of duplicate expenses occurring in respect of training. I agree that all of us at different points, in whatever role we might occupy, can benefit from ongoing training and review. For example, in the case of lay persons, as the Minister has mentioned, they could examine the Hanseatic or common law legal code or the practical skills Senator McDowell described, such as interviewing. I am grateful for the support from across the House and I hope the Minister will also be able to see his way to supporting the amendment.