Results 1,241-1,260 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

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)

Stephen Donnelly: Would it not just be an offence by the officers?

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)

Stephen Donnelly: So the inquiry would make two findings - first, that the person who gave false evidence had committed an offence and second, that the corporate body had also committed an offence.

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)

Stephen Donnelly: Will the Minister explain the section? What is it doing?

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)

Stephen Donnelly: Again, I ask for clarification. I realise we have almost finished.

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)

Stephen Donnelly: The short version is fine.

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)

Stephen Donnelly: Now, is everybody not glad I asked the question? What is the short version? What is this in essence?

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)

Stephen Donnelly: Right. It allows that statement------

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)

Stephen Donnelly: Is it setting out rules of privilege during an inquiry?

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)

Stephen Donnelly: Therefore, it allows for privilege in committees of inquiry.

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)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Ms O'Reilly for her report and for attending today. I tried to read a lot of the report but it is very technical. While I acknowledge that there is a great deal of technical law involved, it is not written in the most accessible way. I wonder if that is something the office would look at for the next report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: Exactly. I found it difficult to digest.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: There are a few areas on which I would like to get Ms O'Reilly's thoughts. I want to go back to the issue of culture. While we can put all of the correct mechanisms in place, any human system will find out how to game most of them. I was struck by the fact that the Department of Finance took three years to revert to the office. Has the office found that there are good and less good areas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, or generally. We all interact with Departments all the time. I know Departments that I find very useful in terms of giving information and Departments, or elements within them, that go to great lengths to ensure one gets nothing. Perhaps it is not a fair question. If she is not comfortable answering it that is fine, but I would genuinely be interested in her view.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: It seems the Information Commissioner has been ignored by the two groups she just referenced. She has been ignored by the political apparatus. If I understand matters correctly, none of the 36 recommendations made by her was taken on by the last committee. This appears to show that she has been ignored by the political establishment. It has taken three years to get this report from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: We are well used to that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I agree. I would like to address two recommendations. One relates to NAMA and the other to the credit institutions scheme, both of which relate to the Department of Finance. Her recommendation is that both institutions are covered by FOI within the protections of the Act. Can we start with the credit institutions scheme? I guess I have the same question on each. I will give her an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: The Department has the information but it refuses to release it because, apparently, information about how much covered banks were holding in deposits of up to €100,000 five years ago is commercially sensitive. That is an example of what I am dealing with as a parliamentarian. I am interested in hearing her view about the type of information relating to the NAMA and the credit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: We looked at a parliamentary question. It turns out that the Minister of State with responsibility for public service reform and the OPW, who was in opposition at the time, asked a parliamentary question and was told he could not have it because it was confidential information.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Non-Disclosure Provisions Under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussion with Information Commissioner (5 Jun 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: The Chairman's first question was on the Information Commissioner's opinion on the new legislation dealing with the fee regime. Is that correct? Was that the Chairman's question?