Results 26,401-26,420 of 34,777 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: I move amendment No. 15:In page 6, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:(a) lobbies Tourism Ireland and such person shall be required to be a registered person pursuant to section 8,”.

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: I covered the issue about the guidelines versus legislation for State boards. It is not the substance; it is the mechanism of how it should be captured. I am taking it one step further. The Minister has acknowledged that the inclusion of amendments Nos. 3 to 15, inclusive, would have very wide implications. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked whether we were introducing narrow or broad-based...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: Neither the Minister nor I know if any of us will be here or there when the first annual review is completed because it will take place after the next general election. While I am not saying I do not have confidence in the Minister, I certainly cannot offer confidence in whoever might be the next Minister.

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: It might be me or God knows who will be there. I am just trying to tie down the incoming legislation by making it as broad as possible at the early stage. That was the essence of listing all those bodies. As the Minister knows, many of them are public bodies, including regulators. There is no commercial issue involved in any of those. I wish to clarify a point. I spoke about an...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: I have no idea about that. There is nothing wrong and it is quite good that there would be differences of emphasis and approach among those on the Opposition side because we are elected individually and separately under different mandates and we have a different mandate. Of course, we agree with each other on occasions and sometimes we agree with the Government. I believe we had a vote in...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: I move amendment No. 6:In page 6, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:“(a) lobbies Irish Rail and such person shall be required to be a registered person pursuant to section 8,”.

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: Is the Minister accepting the amendment?

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: We will not fall out. The Minister has spoken about amendment No. 18, and other Deputies have highlighted other issues. The principle of it is good. I accept that if the Minister tried to get everything absolutely perfect we could be tying it down from here to infinity. The Minister is concerned that it might not fully work, and of course every piece of legislation is always subject to...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: -----although he is not actually saying so. This is what I am trying to establish.

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: I got that impression. I wish to have a few points clarified. The Minister stated that some information is covered by freedom of information legislation and can be obtained in that way. This is limited, and commercial sensitivity probably excludes most of what we are speaking about. The Minister also stated that I do not appreciate the system he has put in place with regard to the...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: But under the system the Minister is establishing, which is on a voluntary basis, they will have to go through the other system anyway.

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: Well, I think the Minister gets the point. All I am saying is that I would prefer if the new system being put in place was on a statutory footing rather than using the Minister's approach, which is based on guidelines, because guidelines are voluntary.

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: Will I have another opportunity to speak?

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: -----but, because it has been grouped with amendments that were initially in my name earlier on in the legislative process, it has come in under the group. I must respond in the dark, not knowing precisely what the Minister will say. However, on the face of it, this looks like a good amendment. It captures a lot of what we spoke about at Committee Stage. Essentially, we spoke about...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: A very short second chance. Amendment No. 18 is in the name of the Minister. It is probably unusual that the Opposition is speaking on the Minister's amendment before the Minister gets to speak on it-----

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: I move amendment No. 2:In page 6, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:“(a) makes, manages or directs the making of any relevant communications to any member of Government in relation to appointments to State Boards,”.There are 19 amendments in this group, most of which are in my name and deal with what should be captured under the legislation. I will not be...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: This is a matter for Dáil reform, and perhaps the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will take it on board.

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: It is unsatisfactory that I, as an Opposition spokesperson, will have mere seconds per amendment to respond to what the Minister is going to say. I think everyone will agree that is-----

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: In any event, I will deal with the amendments. I intend to dwell primarily on amendment No. 2, which suggests that the following be inserted into the Bill: "makes, manages or directs the making of any relevant communications to any member of Government in relation to appointments to State Boards". Any person who is involved in any such communications should be included under what will,...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Report Stage (14 Jan 2015)

Seán Fleming: I beg the Minister's pardon.