Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 6, lines 8 and 9, to delete “the text of Parts II, V and VI of which is set out in Schedule 1” and substitute “Schedule 1 contains the text of Parts II, V and VI of the Convention”.

I tabled my amendment because I am concerned there could be a perception that the impact and remit of this Bill and the jurisdiction and responsibilities of the State could be limited in respect of the convention. This is a concern that comes to all of my later amendments, where I talk about specific other obligations and responsibilities the State may have, in that the way Schedule 1 has been framed, instead of the Schedule being there for information and telling us the parts of the convention that are relevant, by putting the text as set out in the Schedule - it is literally almost a drafting piece - you could inadvertently limit the function of the Bill only to those things which are in the convention. Schedule 1 could serve as a limit rather than be an informative piece, and that is the context of this.

It comes to the fact I will speak about the other obligations the State has that might not be within the convention but I hope would be in this law. Even if they may not enter this law today, for this to be a functioning Bill that can be further consolidated and take on additional responsibilities, from the get-go we might want to leave space in the wording of the Bill to allow for additional responsibilities and remit to be included in the future. It is a drafting piece and I hope the Minister of State might take it on board or look at it in the Dáil.I hope the Minister will take that on board and look at it again when the Bill is before the Dáil.