|
|
Irrelevant evidence.
|
4.—(1) A committee may not direct a person to give evidence, or produce or send a document, to it, or attend before it to give evidence, or produce a document, to it, that is not relevant to the proceedings of the committee.
|
|
| |
(2) Where a direction to which paragraph (a) relates is given to a person and the person is of opinion that evidence or a document to which the direction relates is not relevant to the proceedings of the committee concerned and so informs the committee—
|
|
| |
(a) the committee shall either withdraw the direction or refer the question whether the evidence or document is so relevant—
|
|
| |
(i) if the committee is a committee of Dáil Éireann or a subcommittee of such a committee, to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann,
|
|
| |
(ii) if the committee is a committee of Seanad Éireann or a subcommittee of such a committee, to the Chairman of Seanad Éireann,
|
|
| |
(iii) if the committee is a joint committee of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann or a subcommittee of such a committee, to both such Chairmen,
|
|
| |
(b) if the question is referred to either or both of such Chairmen, he, she or they shall decide it, and
|
|
| |
(c) if he, she or they decides or decide or (if there is an appeal from the decision) the High Court decides that the evidence or document is not relevant to the proceedings of the committee, the committee shall withdraw the direction.
|
|
| |
(3) Where the Chairman or Chairmen aforesaid make a decision under subsection (2), he, she or they shall cause the committee concerned and the person to whom the direction concerned was given to be notified of the determination and the person may, within 21 days of the notification, appeal against the determination to the High Court.
|
