I move amendment No. 18:
In page 13, subsection (3), line 12, to delete "the requirements" and substitute "a particular requirement".
Again, I have draftsman's advice that this amendment to section 13 (3) will give greater clarity to the intention of the subsection. It is felt that the existing text could confer too much discretion on the director of legal metrology to dispense with the requirements of the Bill. It would never be the intention of the Houses of the Oireachtas to confer such sweeping setaside powers to any statutory officer. Specifically, the subsection is intended to facilitate the field trials of new technologies. There is no similar provision in existing law, thus the existing law is deficient in that type approval and verification must be completed before instruments may be used for trade. Accordingly, until now field trials were not permitted. Effectively it is a barrier to technological development in the measuring instrument sector. This barrier is now being removed.