Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senators for their amendments. Amendment No. 4 very much relates to whether or not amendment No. 6 is passed and is to balance out the number. I appreciate that. I reiterate what many colleagues have outlined. The Attorney General is a constitutional officeholder. He or she is not there to represent the Government. He or she is not on the commission to represent the Government. He or she is independent of the Government. That needs to be very clear. The independence has been consistently recognised in decisions of the Irish courts. The Attorney General also has a role in upholding the Constitution, including a duty to ensure the independence of the Judiciary.