Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will deal with amendment No. 41 first. While I cannot accept it, I will consider the public interest issue in consultation with the Parliamentary Counsel and, if necessary, review the section on Report Stage.

Amendment No. 42 arises from consultation I had with stakeholders who expressed concern about the severity of the penalties imposed for unauthorised disclosure of information by a committee member. It was put to me by a number of parties that this would deter people from becoming members of such a committee and in the course of the Second Stage debate on the Bill, I agreed to revisit this provision. The penalty now proposed, that is, a class E fine equating to €500, is at the lowest end of the scale and would only be applied following a conviction. This replaces a provision for a class A fine of €5,000 or six months imprisonment or both. It remains important that unauthorised disclosure of confidential information by members of the committee be discouraged. I must emphasise, in this context, the word "confidential". It is not intended to preclude general comments or discussion on everyday issues relating to the committee. As for what is meant, an example would be the unauthorised disclosure of ongoing and sensitive negotiating positions either at national or European Union level, the disclosure of which would be damaging to the official position. Given that amendment No. 42 proposes to reduce the penalty for unauthorised disclosure of confidential information, I cannot accept amendments Nos. 43 and 44.