Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 46:

In page 18, lines 21 and 22, to delete from and including “(1) The” in line 21 down to and including line 22 and substitute the following: “(1) The Minister may give a direction in writing to An tÚdarás, following consultation with the Board of An tÚdarás, for any purpose relating to this Act and concerning—”.

Amendment Nos. 46, 47, 48 and 50 are all related to the powers in terms of the giving of Ministerial direction to an t-údarás. I just want to check the grouping on whether it also covers where direction is given to a higher education institution. Amendments Nos. 46 and 48 provide that before giving direction to an t-údarás, the Minister must consult with the board of an t-údarás. Amendment No. 47 seeks the deletion of section 11(1)(b), which provides that a direction from the Minister may relate to the implementation of any policy or objective of the Minister or Government. That is extremely widely framed. I will come to the related points later that any policy or objective of the Minister or Government-----