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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 21 May 1987

Vol. 116 No. 3

Defence (Amendment) Bill, 1986: Committee and Final Stages.

Sections 1 to 12, inclusive, agreed to.
NEW SECTION.
Government amendment No. 1:
In page 11, before section 13, to insert the following section:
"Section 248 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion in paragraph (a) after subparagraph (ii) of the following subparagraph:
‘(iiA) having, or not having, at any specified time or times, served outside the State as a member of the Permanent Defence Force with an armed International United Nations Force, or'.".

Limerick West): The purpose of this amendment is to facilitate certain matters in the case of a member of the Permanent Defence Force who was serving overseas with an armed international United Nations Force at the time of the alleged offence. As I have already mentioned an amendment with a similar purpose was moved at short notice when the Bill was being debated at Committee Stage in Dáil Eireann. While it was not possible for me to accept the amendment proposed without having had the opportunity of giving the proposal a detailed examination I undertook that following full consideration of the matter, if such a provision was found to be desirable, I would introduce a suitable amendment to the Bill. The amendment now before the House is designed to provide a simple and straightforward means of proving, in effect, that the accused person was, in fact, on active service when the offence was committed, a position that would arise in the case of overseas service with an armed United Nations force. I commend the amendment to the House.

Amendment agreed to.
Sections 13 to 16, inclusive, agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported with amendment, received for final consideration and passed.
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