Results 201-220 of 1,338 for speaker:Kathleen O'Meara

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: —which we have been unable to do.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: I am moving a motion under Standing Order 63—

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: —according to the procedure of the House.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: The spirit of the Standing Orders of this House of the Oireachtas is that on Committee Stage we should be allowed debate substantial amendments. I am moving a motion under Standing Order 63 to that effect.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: This may appear an innocuous deletion on the surface but it goes to the heart of the principles of the 1997 Act. The then Minister of State, Eithne Fitzgerald, was trying to make Departments more open and transparent and one of her approaches was to make it as easy as possible for the public to access information. Those of us who deal with Departments on a daily basis forget how intimidating...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: The listing in Iris Oifigiúil is an important function. It underlines the principle of Departments being open, accessible and accountable in that Iris Oifigiúil is in the public domain and can be accessed, even on the Internet, by anybody who so wishes. While this may appear to be an innocuous deletion, it is anything but. It is one of the amendments which will make it more difficult for...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: I support my Opposition colleagues' comments on the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003. Our legislative function, as Members of the Upper House of the Oireachtas, is being undermined by the farcical process being played out this week. In light of the report of the Information Commissioner and the remarks of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I appeal to the Leader...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: While there is a number of significant amendments, this one has been widely publicised by the Government. I have heard some poorly informed commentators say this Bill is only about extending the five year Cabinet secrecy rule to ten years and wondering what all the fuss is about. If it was only this issue, we would not get so worked up. In a discussion on this matter on radio this morning it...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: I wish to clarify something. The Leader said that my remarks were incorrect. Perhaps she would clarify that. Are they technically incorrect or is it her view that what I am saying is not the case? She would say that she would be happy for any decision she made as Minister or any decision the Cabinet made while she was Minister to come out. I would be delighted if that is what she means....

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: No.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: A Leas-Chathaoirligh, I never—

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: I never suggested – it cannot be implied that I did so – that anything the Leader did as a Minister was improper or incorrect. I never suggested that. If she took it up the wrong way, I apologise. I said that this measure was about the Taoiseach exercising control over decisions which were made in 1998 and which he does not want to be revealed. There is no other suggestion. I wonder what...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: Senator Higgins has elucidated the comments of the Information Commissioner on the issue of extending the definition of Government, particularly in relation to this constitutional unrecognisability. I fully support his remarks. It is extraordinary that a Bill containing a provision which an independent officer would call constitutionally unrecognisable should come before either House of the...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: I agree. However, the third definition of an official is "a person who is a member of such other (if any) classes of person as may be prescribed."

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: Anybody walking down the street could be told they are an official.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: The 102 task forces, committees, etc., currently operating under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children – which provide cover for the Minister and replace the need for decision-making in his Department – would obviously come under the exemption contained in this provision. The section also provides that it is mandatory for the workings and writings of these officials to be...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: I cannot resist making a point about Cabinet secrecy and the debate that took place in 1997. I know the Acting Chairman is in a neutral position. The PD spokesperson at the time, Deputy O'Donnell, said that section 19 of the legislation did not go far enough. She tabled an amendment, accepted by the then Minister of State, Eithne Fitzgerald, which narrowed the exemptions for documents going...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: It is important from the public's point of view to point out the utter inconsistency between the PDs' position in 1997, when they were in favour of open Government and criticised then Minister of State for not being open enough. That party tabled an amendment, which the Minister of State accepted, in order to ensure that the legislation would be as liberal as possible and that the issue of...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Kathleen O'Meara: To save the Acting Chairman further embarrassment, perhaps I should point out that at the time Deputy O'Dea called the Bill a grave disappointment. He said it was minimalist and called for the repeal of the Official Secrets Act, which he said was excessively restrictive.