Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

That may be the case. I do not intend to detain the House all day on the subject but the amendment was prompted by experiences we have had with bodies or agencies to whom responsibilities have been devolved by the House. For example, after a person serves on a board such as NORA, he or she could make available vital and sensitive information to other bodies, groups or agencies. I will not mention specific cases but we all know about people who held public jobs and moved into the private sector, having in their possession information which could be useful in the pursuit of their careers.

I accept the Minister's statement that adequate provisions are made elsewhere, albeit using different words, and I do not suggest anything untoward will happen. However, where a person operates in a particular capacity and moves on somewhere else armed with certain information, the standard provisions should apply as to how he or she is permitted to use that information. As the Minister knows, there has been more than one case in the public arena where people with useful information have been able to use it, not necessarily in the public interest. I merely suggest it to be helpful to the Minister and his administration.

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