Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for those comments. I understand it is the intention of Senators to ensure the reporting requirement is as robust, broad and far-reaching as possible. That is an intention I also share.

Subsections (4) to (9) of section 28 are drafted in a way to allow for flexibility when drafting the regulations should that flexibility be needed. It is important the regulations will need to be clear and specific. It is my intention they will contain all the information listed in subsections (4) to (9) unless some issue arises in the drafting stage. For example, with subsection (4), it may be the case that the regulations will prescribe all of the categories of information listed, however, if in some circumstances a combination of these would lead to some degree of confusion, we need to have some flexibility for that as well. The Bill provides for a flexible framework for the regulations so that the policies and principles are clear without creating a situation where absolute strict adherence to the wording may cause confusion for some of those impacted by the regulations, or create some degree of impossibility or some other particular anomaly. It is to provide for some degree of flexibility in the drafting of the specific and, what everyone agrees will be, quite detailed regulations when the time comes, allowing for that degree of responding to the particular circumstance of the Minister while at the same time clearly setting out the significant ambition in the relevant subsections.