Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013
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Third party Part 2 inquiry legal costs in proceedings of Part 2 inquiry. |
47.— (1) Subject to subsection (3), a witness whose good name is or may be directly impugned in the Part 2 inquiry may apply in the specified form to the Oireachtas Commission for an order that the witness be entitled, subject to the guidelines (if any) issued under section 46 , to the recoupment of the Part 2 inquiry legal costs incurred by him or her in relation to the inquiry. | |
(2) An application under subsection (1) shall not, in the absence of exceptional circumstances, be decided upon until— | ||
(a) after the final report of the committee has been finalised, or | ||
(b) after the termination of the inquiry, | ||
whichever first occurs. | ||
(3) An application under subsection (1) may be refused in whole or in part if the circumstances referred to in section 48 (1) or (4) apply. | ||
(4)(a) A person may, at any time, apply to the committee for a determination as to whether he or she is a person whose good name is or may be directly impugned in the Part 2 inquiry. | ||
(b) The committee shall— | ||
(i) determine an application referred to in paragraph (a) as soon as is practicable after receiving it, and | ||
(ii) cease to further inquire into the person who made the application until it has given the person a notice in writing of its determination. |