Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 2 February 2022
Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach
Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised)
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source
We have agreed as a Government to bring forward a timed amendment to the legislation, for the reason that it raises a number of issues but, to be frank, the Bill needs to be entirely redrafted. It proposes to publish the names of certain individual recipients of pensions, but the way it is drafted copper-fastens the existing position. I do not believe we should vote against the Bill, as I understand where it is coming from but the comprehensive Bill that we are preparing will be the best vehicle to bring about the reforms that are needed to the freedom of information system. We will have the proposals finalised in the coming months.
Is it not a pattern though that when legislative proposals for reform are being brought, Government either rejects them, nods them through with no intention of proceeding or, in this instance, puts forward a timing amendment to kick it down the road?
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