Select Committee on Foreign Affairs debate -
Thursday, 11 Nov 1993

SECTION 2.

Deputy J. O'Keeffe

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 3, to delete lines 4 to 6 and substitute the following:

"(c) Any officer of the Minister appointed by the Minister to whom sections 3 (other than subsection (2) thereof) and 4 but not sections 5 and 6 of this Act apply.".

This is a drafting amendment. The Bill will apply to a certain number of categories listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. I am suggesting, for the purposes of clarity, they should be set out in a better way. The purpose is to improve the drafting.

Deputy T. Kitt

I appreciate the Deputy's motivation in tabling the amendment. From the point of view of the layman, it would tidy up the appearance of the section. However, the parliamentary draftsman's office, has advised that the meaning of the final part of the section would be clearer if left unamended. The legal advice we have received is along the same lines. As we have only received the amendment I am willing to consider it carefully before Report Stage. As Deputy O'Keeffe said, the purpose is to ensure clarity and that the wording is user friendly.

Deputy J. O'Keeffe

I am happy with the Minister of State's response. As a lawyer and a politician who has to deal with many Bills I appreciate that it is important, from the point of view of presentation, that they can be easily read. I am quite prepared to withdraw the amendment to give him an opportunity to consider it.

Deputy Keogh

I interject at this point to say that it is my experience that people find it difficult to interpret Bills. It might be timely to make a plea that the question of using more simple language should be addressed in the future. I appreciate what Deputy O'Keeffe is trying to do here, given that we sometimes find that Bills are a minefield even for those of us who are used to reading and interpreting them.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Section agreed to.

Section 3 agreed to.