Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for the clarification. I do not believe the Minister and I will agree on this so perhaps either or both of us may come back with revised amendments on Report Stage on this matter. I point to that core issue of the fact that "any force" is wider than the definitions we had previously of international organisations or of other groups. I urge the Minister to consider how wide that space is. He has spoken to the time piece and I am not going to respond to him on that because the next amendment, in fact, will relate to the matter of timing and discretion in that regard.

On the matter of which forces this applies to, that is an issue we may need to tease out further on Report Stage. My amendments propose to confine it to the United Nations, and while the Minister has given reasons he feels it should not be so confined, I also argue that neither should it be so wide open. The Defence (Amendment) Act 2006 did not have as wide a framing as we have seen in this regard. That is why this is perhaps an area that needs a reference to "international force", but simply saying "any force" is just too wide in this regard.