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

This group contains a range of technical amendments made to the Bill during its passage through the Oireachtas. The purpose of amendments Nos. 8, 9 and 10 is to clarify that the definition of programme schedule in the Bill encompasses both audiovisual programmes and sound programmes and that references to programmes in the definition of sound broadcasting services are references to sound programmes. The purpose of amendment No. 11 was to correct a typographical error in the definition of video sharing platform service in the Bill. The purpose of amendments Nos. 17, 18, 21, 23 to 24 inclusive, and 37 was to align the wording in the Bill regarding the roles of the Minister with responsibility for Coimisiún na Meán and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to certain financial and staffing matters with the wording in the public spending code. They are technical amendments as such and do not have any substantive effect on the Bill.

Amendment No. 22 changes a reference to "a nominee of the person" in line 36 on page 25 to "a person acting on behalf of the person". The wording to be inserted is considered more suitable for the section which relates to the disclosure of interests as it is more encompassing than the term "nominee". The purpose of amendments Nos. 35, 36, 39, 40, 51, 74, 77, 78, 79, 90, 119, 292 and 293 was to correct typographical errors in a range of sections of the Bill. The purpose of amendments Nos. 68, 291 and 296 was to take account of the enactment of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 and in particular, amendments Nos. 68 and 291 update references to sections of the Referendum Act 1998 and to the Referendum Commission so that they now refer to the Electoral Reform Act and An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the new Electoral Commission. Amendment No. 296 amends a reference in the Electoral Reform Act to the Broadcasting Act 2009 so that it now refers to the relevant section of the Bill.