Results 5,041-5,060 of 16,492 for speaker:Ciarán Lynch

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I will bring the Minister back in after Deputy Mary Lou McDonald.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I wish to add my tuppence worth again. I remember when I and Deputy Fleming were on a committee that he chaired. There were diverging views on a particular recommendation, which was to do with the personal public service number registration system. Everyone had strong views on it but they were not views of the same bent. In that case the committee's recommendation noted that there was no...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I will note it as withdrawn when we come to it.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Amendment No. 15 is being withdrawn.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Amendment No. 13 stands. Amendment No. 15 will be withdrawn.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: We are dealing with amendments Nos. 13, 14 and 15 which are related so we are discussing them together. I understand that amendment No. 15 will be withdrawn when we reach it.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Theoretically one partner in government could call an inquiry into another partner in government.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I will take that as the Deputy's final comment on the amendment. How stands the amendment?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I appreciate the long-standing tradition that the Attorney General's advice is not laid before the House. The Minister has clarified that these questions have been put to the Attorney General.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Amendments Nos. 20 and 21 are related and may be discussed together.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Amendment No. 21 has been discussed with amendment No. 20.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: The censure is with the Parliament.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Given that any proposal to have an inquiry would require the permission of a House, my view is that any person's request for a proposed investigation, the duration of which might remotely extend for two years, would not even get off the floor of the House. Even if an Administration fell, it would be within the gift of the new Administration to recommence an investigation by seeking the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Yes, because the Government would have collapsed and those who were members of the committee may not be re-elected, but the facility is in place for the new Administration to seek the papers from the previous Administration and recommence the investigation. I am advised that was done by the committee previously in the case of an Ombudsman report. How stands the amendment?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I cannot put the question in the form of whether we think this is a good amendment.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Amendments Nos. 23 and 24 are related and they will be discussed together.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I have one additional question. In respect of tribunals, for instance, there was a forewarning that if someone was going to act in a belligerent manner, the costs would be waived and the person concerned would be obliged to meet them him or herself. In such a scenario, the costs then would be picked up by the person who sought legal advice. The Minister should clarify this point.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: Amendments Nos. 26 and 27 are related and will be discussed together.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: I will revert to the Minister to see whether he has the right answer.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Lynch: In certain investigations in the House of Commons, the Comptroller and Auditor General may sit in on committee meetings and almost act in the capacity of a member. He or she may even ask questions directly of witnesses that appear before the committee. One can have an expert resident in that case. With a view to being as neutral as possible, let us assume that the balloons of a balloon...