17Advisory Committee, establishment and functions of

17. Advisory Committee, establishment and functions of

(1) For the purposes of this Act there shall be an Advisory Committee constituted in accordance with section 21.

(2) It shall be the general duty of the Committee to advise the Minister on matters relating to the use of land by vehicles, as to private and other land to which it is proposed that the provisions of this Act should be applied or to which such provisions do apply, and as to such other matters as are referred to the Committee by the Minister.

(3) The Committee shall —

(a) consider, and make recommendations to the Minister upon, submissions, proposals, complaints and objections received from members of the public generally in relation to the use or proposed use of any land by vehicles; and

(b) consider and advise the Minister upon submissions made by any local government, owners or occupiers of land, public authorities, and other interests likely to be substantially affected by the operation of this Act in relation to any land to which the provisions of this Act apply or may be applied; and

(c) carry on consultations with such bodies or persons as to the effect from time to time of the use of any land by vehicles.

(4) The Minister may give to the Committee directions of a general character as to the exercise of its functions, and the Committee shall give effect to such a direction, but any such direction may distinguish between different classes of case.

(5) The Committee shall, in so far as those duties are consistent with the provisions of this Act, carry out such duties as may be required of it by the Minister in furtherance of the objectives of this Act, but may, of its own initiative, bring any other matter relevant to this Act to the notice of the Minister.

[Section 17 amended: No. 14 of 1996 s. 4.]