Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 50:

In page 7, line 30, after "appeal." to insert the following:

"Where, after a vote of the sitting Committee, the majority of the Forestry Appeals Committee is of the opinion that an oral hearing should be heard in relation to an appeal the Chairperson shall, as soon as may be, fix a date and place for the oral hearing. In the case of a tied Committee vote the Chairperson of that Committee will be the deciding vote on the holding of an oral hearing.".

Not unlike the first amendment we proposed, this one is about setting into the legislation the transparency required in the context of oral hearings.I note there is a facility in the legislation for oral hearings, etc., but we are seeking to underpin that where a request for an oral hearing is made, it will be put to a vote of the committee. We have gone as far as providing that in that if there is a tie on the committee, the casting vote of the chairperson would come into play. This is, at least, a transparent way of deciding whether an oral hearing would take place. We believe this will improve the legislation and make it more transparent. I ask the Minister of State to take it on board and I am interested to here her feedback on it.