Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The amendment suggests that the regulations that would be made by this will "be valid for a period of two years unless renewed by the Minister in accordance with this section." The goal is to ensure that we could have a strengthening and an ongoing review. It is part of the same spirit of renewal and strengthening.

Section 3(6) states "Every regulation made by the Minister under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas". As there is a danger, perhaps, in how we proposed amendment No. 12, I am not sure we will press it. I certainly would not want a situation whereby we would have any sense of a natural expiry for the regulations that would come in and that is certainly not the intent of the amendment. As I can see a danger in that, I am considering whether to press the amendment.

Perhaps the Minister might speak to the intent of the amendment. I mean we should not have a situation whereby these excellent regulations would expire previous to the two-year period. In the context of section 3(6), the Minister should be actively engaging with the Oireachtas in a constant process of improvement and strengthening of legislation and that should happen on a regular basis. I do not think the wording in the amendment is correct so I probably will withdraw it. However, I ask the Minister to comment on the general issue of the evolution of regulations underneath the Bill as it stands. He should please explain how he sees that working, and how he sees the engagement and expiry periods working.