Results 48,061-48,080 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Chairman for those answers.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: This is in the same vein. It is not something about which I am terribly concerned, but I would like an explanation. It relates to section 16(1)(c) which states there is a deferral on the basis that the record concerned is held by a Department of State where the record or part thereof or any matter to which it relates is of such interest to the public generally that he or she intends to...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: We all understand what "frivolous" and "vexatious" mean. I accept the Minister's important point that we are not all hearing from serious freedom of information people that this is something that is being abused. None the less, given Deputy Creed's point, in individual cases an information officer somewhere could abuse something that is open to interpretation. I was thinking about the...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: Yes. I have not fully thought this through. Are we going down a dangerous path in saying that because someone is going to use this in a way that we do not think is appropriate, we will deny them the right to do it?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: My question relates to the previous amendment, so I will ask it when discussing the section. I have a similar question about Deputy Mary Lou McDonald's amendment, which proposes the deletion of lines 13 to 16. Are there guidelines available on frivolous or vexatious requests?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: If someone is refused on the basis that his request is frivolous, is he told that?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: When a requester receives a reply, is any guidance provided to him or her? Is there a link to a definition of "frivolous or vexatious behaviour" so the decision can be challenged and so one can determine whether the matter is worth taking to the Information Commissioner?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: What I am suggesting might prevent some cases that are doomed to failure from going to the Information Commissioner. If a bank writes to a distressed borrower at present, self-empowering information must be given. The bank must state the law and the customer’s rights and give links to relevant information. Similarly, an FOI officer should state the reason for refusal to the maker of...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: That is normal.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: I have a quick question on the process. If the grouping was amendments Nos. 33 and 47 to 52, inclusive, are members not going through them?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: The other ones must be gone through first.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: So how are they grouped?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: Does that mean members have just had the full discussion on all that then?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: Does that mean members have had the full discussion on the issue of fees?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: I apologise, my mistake.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister. That is very welcome. Irrespective of what the new amendment will be, I echo the request that we be given it well in advance of Report Stage in order that if we want to tease it out at a committee meeting, we could do so.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: I do not care whether it is a U-turn or a clarification, it is very welcome. I will leave the discussion on fees, upfront charges, etc., until we reach amendment No. 53 because we will be able to deal with them in some detail at that point. I will, however, use an example in order to clarify what I think the Minister as saying to us. I occupy an office in Agriculture House, the...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: We are halfway through the Committee Stage debate on the new freedom of information legislation. I accept that the new Bill contains some meaningful reforms. Unfortunately, all of the potential good that the Bill could do will be eradicated by the changes in the fees regime. I believe the Government set out to do the right thing. I remind the House of what the current Minister, Deputy...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Stephen Donnelly: In 2008, when the current Minister of State, Deputy White, was a Member of the Seanad, he said "the presumption in any democratic society...should be to make the information available". He argued that "it is not good enough for a Minister to point to the extraordinary cost or how onerous it is on us". The changes that are proposed in this legislation are contrary to the position of the UN...