Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I regret that the Minister cannot accept my amendment in terms of the delegation of functions. I urge that attention is paid. It may be a matter to be tracked and carefully monitored and reflected in the report of the advisory council in order that there is clarity that the key decision-making functions are not delegated to subcommittees but are voted at council level and that the powers are centred on that balance of expertise and gender the Minister has tried to set up within the advisory council in other parts of the Bill. There should be assurance that it is the aforementioned carefully constructed advisory council that will make the really important key functions and decisions in respect of this. If the Minister will not accept my amendment, I urge that this issue be very carefully traced an monitored because we do not want to see a subcommittee that effectively takes control or leadership, which may include representations of industries and others.

I strongly welcome the Minister's acceptance of amendment no. 34. That will at least give some transparency and clarity around the membership of the subcommittees working with the advisory council, the declaration of interests and, I imagine, appropriate steps and measures that would flow from that around recusing oneself from key and important decisions where there may be financial interest, for example. Those will help to build confidence in the advisory council structure and its subcommittee structure and will help and add to transparency. I thank the Minister for taking that amendment on board and making an important correction to strengthen the governance of the process.