Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 11:

In page 10, to delete lines 33 to 39.

This amendment is a simple one which concerns the parliamentary activities allowance. The Standards in Public Office Commission, known as the commission or SIPO, will prepare and publish guidelines for the purpose of providing practical guidance to the parliamentary leaders of qualifying parties, Independent Members and so on. My amendment specifically seeks to delete six lines on page 10 which essentially state that when the Standards in Public Office Commission has prepared its guidelines, carried out its consultation process and wants to issue the guidelines, these draft guidelines should submitted to the Minister for his or her approval, and the Minister shall act as he or she may think proper. I want that subsection deleted to give the Standards in Public Office Commission, which is independent in regard to the performance of the electoral funding legislation and ethics legislation, the right to be independent with regard to this legislation.

I do not think it right that the Minister should have a veto over the guidelines. Either we have confidence in SIPO to draw up these regulations or we do not. I want to remove the power of the Minister to refuse to approve the guidelines, as approved by SIPO, having gone through its full public consultation. We talk about independence in this House and about a new policing authority. If we are serious about giving these independent organisations the respect they deserve, we should not give them power with one hand but have a rein on them with the other.

I ask the Minister to accept the amendment and to delete this power which he is proposing to give himself because it is not necessary. SIPO is fully competent. We should trust it to do the job and let it get on with it.

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