Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, but may I make two points which may encourage the Senator to be more supportive of the amendment in its current form? First, I ask him to look at the terms of subsection (2) of the proposed section, which states: "The Commission shall make any recommendation within the time period prescribed by the Government pursuant to subsection (1)." It does not leave it open to the commission, on a discretionary basis, to decide whether to comply. If it does not do so, that is that, so to speak. I defer to the Senator being a great Joycean scholar and an authority on the English language, but, on my own behalf as draftsman of this amendment, the reason the word "may" is used twice in the amendment is this-----