Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Fleming's amendment, as he has outlined, removes the requirement that the guidelines are subject to the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform prior to publication. Under the legislation, the role of the commission has been expanded, as we can see, to ensure increased transparency, accountability and consistency in the use of expenditure from the allowance. However, it is not the intention that the commission, or SIPO, should have a sole interpretative role in regard to this allowance. It falls to me, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to have a properly constituted involvement in the final guidelines in so far as they relate to the allowance.

There is no question of any lack of trust in the capabilities or the independence of the commission. This legislation itself shows I have full confidence in the commission to draft guidelines for the legislation rather than retaining that responsibility within my own Department. I am moving the drafting of guidelines away from my Department and giving it to the commission, but retaining a democratic accountability within it. The Minister who is responsible has to have some oversight and it would be wrong to cede my authority in regard to the allowance. I believe the Bill provides the proper democratic oversight in its current form and I do not believe, on reflection, that the Deputy would endure with his proposal, which would cede any democratic accountability. I am responsible to this House. The Deputy's right to have a view and Parliament's right to have a view would be completely extinguished if it was solely the prerogative of SIPO.

See this speech in context