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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 6

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Bill 2002: Report Stage.

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, line 6, after "AS" to insert "COIMISIÚN THITHE AN OIREACHTAIS OR, IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,".

I welcome the Minister's decision to adopt this amendment presented by Deputy Burton on Committee Stage. It was the last amendment addressed in the course of the Committee Stage deliberations. It was a very important point, not only for those who are advocates of the first language but in bringing due recognition of the first language in its correct order in legislation. I commend the fact that the Minister has adopted the amendment and I have no doubt that Deputy Burton will record her appreciation in due course.

Amendment agreed to.
Amendments Nos. 2 and 3 not moved.

We now come to amendment No. 4. Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 are mutually alternative and amendments Nos. 7 and 8 are related. Amendments Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, may be discussed together.

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 4, line 38, to delete "of" and substitute "appointed by".

Amendment agreed to.
Amendment No. 5 not moved.

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 4, line 42, to delete "of" and substitute "appointed by".

Amendment agreed to.
Amendment No. 7 not moved.

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 5, lines 2 and 3, to delete "an Oireachtas Committee" and substitute "a Committee appointed by both Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann".

Amendment agreed to.

Amendment No. 9 in the name of Deputy Burton arises out of committee proceedings.

I move amendment No. 9:

In page 5, lines 17 and 18, to delete "the Commission shall perform the following" and substitute "the following are functions of the Commission".

This is a technical amendment to express more clearly the intentions of the Bill.

A Cheann Comhairle, I do not have my officials with me. I am not up to date. We were a little caught out by surprise.

He can join the club.

He is not dependent.

It is great to see there is equalisation in the House.

Not for her.

In order to be helpful to the Minister of State—

I would ask the Minister of State to move the suspension of the sitting until 7 o'clock in order that we can have a proper debate.

The amendment is purely technical and it was simply to improve the legal language. I understood it met with the approval of the officials. Although that was my understanding, I do not want it to be taken as Gospel.

Debate Adjourned.
Sitting suspended at 6.55 p.m. and resumed at 7 p.m.
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