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

I will speak to amendments No. 4 and 5 because both relate to the independent examiner and the role he or she will be given in adjudicating. While the independent examiner has many important and significant roles under this Bill, I do not think it is appropriate for him or her to have this particularly expanded determination focus. The remit of the examiner relates to security only, whereas for the Minister for Justice, there is a clear remit with regard to both policing and security of the State. The Minister is politically accountable to the Oireachtas in this regard. For that reason, the examiner has a role relating to security only where the Minister, who is accountable to the Oireachtas, has a role and clear remit with regard to both policing and security, which is what we would adjudicate on. For those reasons, I propose not to accept the amendments.