I move amendment No. 1:
In page 4, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following:
"Section 2(1) of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following after ‘apart from the person' but does include a life partner, a co-habitee or a partner whose role is closely akin to that of a spouse.".
This amendment was discussed on Committee Stage and relates to the principal Act, which places responsibilities on spouses to make declarations or be involved. In modern society, people have close friends or partners who are not defined in the original Act. This amendment is appropriate by including partners or co-habitees who act in a role akin to that of a spouse. During a discussion of other legislation, former Deputy Connolly raised concerns about arrangements concerning those who came and went, as he put it, at various times while the spouse was tied up in legal obligations under different ethics Acts. This is an attempt to be comprehensive and cover all possible combinations.