Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I still do not understand why it does not apply only to a member of the commission or the director or a member of staff of the commission. I do not understand why it is necessary to specify the procedures committee. Section 28(2) states:

In addition to what is provided for in section 27, a person to whom this section applies shall not, except for the purposes of this Act, disclose—

(a) in relation to persons applying for, or recommended for appointment to, judicial office—(i) proceedings of the Commission and of its committees,

(ii) communications to and from the Commission and its committees, and

(iii) communications to and from the Commission or its committees to the Minister,

or(b) any matter concerning the removal of a member of the Commission (before such removal takes place) under section 20.

I will come back to paragraph (b). It seems that the additional strength of section 28 is to prohibit a person to whom the section applies from disclosing material which are the proceedings of the commission and its committees, communications to and from the commission and its committees and communications to and from the commission or its committees to the Minister. I do not understand why there is a different category of people - the members of the procedures committee or any other committee of the commission - in addition to a person who is or was a member of the commission.