Results 8,041-8,060 of 21,498 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: My concern is that, depending on their interpretation, it just might.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: In my judgment, a little more thought must be given to this issue. I do not argue for any disclosure that may pose a threat to anybody's safety, much less the safety of the State. However, I reiterate the point that we are not at a starting position at which there is a free-for-all with information flows. Far from it, as our dilemma is the opposite, which is that lobbying activities have...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I wish to know specifically what that means for the purposes of this Bill operating at full capacity. While I will withdraw the amendment for the present, I probably will return to it on Report Stage.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 29: In page 7, to delete lines 24 and 25.I will withdraw the amendment with a view to returning to this matter on Report Stage.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 32: In page 7, to delete lines 31 to 34.The gist of this amendment is that I remain to be convinced that lobbying by commercial and non-commercial semi-State companies should be excluded from the transparency and scrutiny provisions. I propose that lines 31 to 34 be deleted.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thought the Minister might say that. There is the ebb and flow of communication between these entities and the shareholder on behalf of the State which should be exempt from this legislation. The definition of what constitutes lobbying activity is set out in the legislation-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 34: In page 7, to delete lines 35 to 38.I remain to be convinced that lobbying, including inter-member lobbying, by Government appointed members of other public bodies for the purpose of reviewing, assessing or analysing any issue of public policy with a view to reporting to the Minister or public service body should be exempt.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I wish to press the amendment. I do not understand and I am not convinced that a separate transparency code is as effective as simply capturing those communications and actions within the scope of the legislation. I understand the Minister does not wish to cause a logjam in the system, as normal business must continue, but where those communications are specifically focused on changes to...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: When does the Minister envisage the transparency code being ready?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Within what timeframe of the Bill being enacted will the code be published?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 35: In page 7, to delete line 40, and in page 8, to delete lines 1 to 5.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 36: In page 8, to delete lines 6 to 10.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Amendment No. 41 relates to page 8, section 5(7), and proposes the deletion of lines 29 and 30. It refers to “relevant matters”, which means any matters relating to the initiation, development or modification of any public policy or of any public programme, the preparation of an enactment, or the award of any grant, loan or other financial support, contract or other agreement,...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: If one reads the Bill again, it is not purely matters of a technical nature. The reference is specifically to relevant matters being those related to the initiation, development or modification of a public policy or programme, preparation of an enactment, the award of a grant, loan or financial support, contract or other agreement or of any licence, apart from matters relating only to the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thought the Minister indicated in his initial response that the measure referred only to technical matters or information.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is a mistake.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 38: In page 8, to delete lines 18 to 22.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 41: In page 8, to delete lines 29 and 30.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: My amendment, No. 48, proposes the inclusion of senior public servants of the rank of Secretary General down to principal officers, as well as regulators and management boards of public bodies. The thrust of it is in line with what Deputy Fleming set out. I have just come at it in a slightly different way. We know that in the case of all three of these categories, they are on the receiving...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 48: In page 8, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following:“(f) senior public servants between the ranks of secretaries general and principal officer; (g) regulators; (h) management boards of public bodies;”.I seek clarification on this. It is welcome that the Minister has set out the persons he intends to-----