Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As regards amendment No. 202, I do not see the value of specifying a maximum timeframe of eight months for an authorised officer to draft the report of an investigation. The wording of the Bill at present is: "As soon as is practicable after the completion of an investigation, the authorised officer shall prepare a draft report of the investigation." In my view, this is sufficient to ensure the draft report will be prepared within a reasonable time, depending on the nature of the investigation, whether it is within weeks or months.

As regards amendment No. 203, I believe the section as currently worded, particularly the reference to fairness, covers matters of necessity and proportionality that may arise in respect of rules relating to the conduct of investigations. In this regard, I note that an coimisiún and its officers will be subject to the extensive provisions in this Part on how investigations may be carried out, and that there are more than sufficient principles and policies in this respect. Accordingly, I am not accepting the amendments.