Results 19,421-19,440 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: We already knew that when it was taking from us.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I am sure the Senator has had an opportunity to read the draft code I published, chapter 5 of which deals with the review and updating of records and guidelines. While the system will probably not be full-proof, it is a fairly good and robust approach to the issue. The issue here is not solely one of knowledge. We knew many things we did not want to hear. In one famous incident, a former...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The package of proposals for reform of the freedom of information provisions that I put forward goes well beyond what was done to roll back some of the advances made in the original Bill but goes beyond the original Bill in making access to information as cheap as possible. Up to five hours of public service work, which will encompass the vast bulk of freedom of information requests, will be...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: What was proposed was an improvement on what the Fianna Fáil-led Government enacted.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I refer the Senator to section 42(k) of the bill, which states that "a record relating to any of the private papers (within the meaning of Article 15.10 of the Constitution) of a member of either House of the Oireachtas or an official document of either or both of such Houses that is required by the rules or standing orders of either or both of such Houses to be treated as confidential".

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: That is a matter for the House, not for me.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: No. I have some experience of dealing with personal papers, since I have been through the High Court and the Supreme Court in respect of my papers. There is an obligation on the Houses of the Oireachtas to have such Standing Orders. That is the determination of the court.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The private papers of a Member of the European Parliament or a member of the local authority are covered under section 6, which states that the head shall refuse to grant such a request.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: These are exemptions for private papers. Section 42, which I quoted, exempts in total the papers of the Oireachtas because of the constitutional imperative.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: That is a matter for the House.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I do not know that such Standing Orders do not exist, but if they do not I would ask the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to deal with it.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: He does not.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: To be clear, the idea of personal papers of some categories being exempt is covered in the section we are dealing with but section 42 Part V states that this Act shall not apply to the categories of records which are the records relating to the Members of the Oireachtas. I refer the Senator to section 42K which provides that a record relating to the private papers, within the meaning of the...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: In replicating the wording of the Constitution I am giving the capacity for the Houses of the Oireachtas - I am surprised they have not done so - to enact such Standing Orders as would be expected.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I can give an exact example of something I had to deal with. It has since been covered in the whistleblower legislation but if a person writes a complaint to the Cathaoirleach that someone was acting corruptly and the Cathaoirleach caused that matter to be investigated, the Cathaoirleach would not want the person making that allegation to have that person's name in the public sphere. That...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: I hear what the Senators have said. The amendments, taken together, seek the deletion of the entire list of exempt bodies. By and large, I want to exempt only two categories of bodies, namely, commercial bodies and North-South bodies. It is wrong to expect commercial companies that happen to be owned by the State, but operate on the same playing field as their competitors, to be subject to...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The port companies I have exempted are the remaining nine commercial port companies. Others have been merged. The port companies proposed for deletion by the Senator are all commercial port companies established under the Harbours Act 1996. Under the Act, 11 of the commercial harbours under the Harbours Act 1946 were established as companies under the Companies Acts, while others were...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Public Service Reform Plan Update (30 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy put one in Europe.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Public Service Reform Plan Update (30 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: Is there a question? This is a speech.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Public Service Reform Plan Update (30 Sep 2014)

Brendan Howlin: What were the two boards?