Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage
Dail Éireann — 2020-09-03
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Brendan Howlin (LAB), Wexford

I return to the matter of plain English. Section 3(1)(a) refers to "the purposes of giving a direction". What does a "direction" mean? According to the interpretation section, a direction has to be "in relation to a relevant provision". A direction is a direction under the relevant provisions of the Bill. It goes on to specify "whether in relation to a relevant provision or otherwise". That is not in accordance with the definition of direction. The direction in section 3(1)(a) is not a direction under the Bill. I do not want to sound too convoluted. If the words "or otherwise" are allowed to remain, it will change the definition in section 3 of the word "direction", as set out in section 1. There cannot be an inherent contradiction in a Bill.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2020-09-03/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:31+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-09-03