Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Particularly with regard to amendment No. 10, could the Minister of State give me an explanation? The Opposition is trying to strengthen the reporting mechanism after investigation. The purpose of amendment No. 10 is to insert a new Schedule. It relates to oral hearings and the taking of evidence under oath, which has not happened before and would certainly give the IAA, particularly the investigative team, an enormous tool. It would strengthen their hand with regard to what we are trying to do, which is to ensure that airlines, all licence holders and any of the carriers, be they commercial or operating on behalf of the Government, relay all the information. The delivery of the information under both would make it far more serious and consequential. I am curious as to why the Minister of State would not want to give the IAA the powers in question.