Results 26,701-26,720 of 34,777 for speaker:Seán Fleming

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)

Seán Fleming: One is being polite.

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)

Seán Fleming: I move amendment No. 43: In page 8, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following:"(f) Secretaries General and Assistant Secretaries General;".This is the first stab at legislation on the registration of lobbyists, and the Minister said he wanted to launch the canoe before we tried to sink it. The definition of "designated public officials" listed in the legislation is very narrow. It...

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)

Seán Fleming: That is good. I have also listed private secretaries, chief executive officers of local authorities and directors of services of local authorities. I will be very happy if they are included. That is the essence of my group of amendments.

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)

Seán Fleming: Are Secretaries General and Assistant Secretaries included now?

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)

Seán Fleming: But they are not included now.

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)

Seán Fleming: The Minister will start with Secretaries General and assistant secretaries general.

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)

Seán Fleming: They are not prescribed yet?

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)

Seán Fleming: Let us say this legislation is passed in the coming weeks or months and is commenced-----

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)

Seán Fleming: It is good to hear that. I am thinking of the budget process each year, when people contact us about different aspects they want included in the Finance Bill. Most people would suggest talking to the officials in the Department of Finance and putting the case. I am sure that could happen at principal officer or assistant principal officer level. A final decision is a matter for 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)

Seán Fleming: I tabled a series of 15 or 20 amendments, which we have discussed and which I believe should have been included under section 5, with regard to the definition of lobbying activities, including lobbying Government Ministers on appointments to State boards or consultants working on behalf of bodies in a variety of public regulators. I accept the Minister's statement that he does not want 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)

Seán Fleming: Essentially, what the Minister has said is that what he has provided for under section 6 are public servants or other prescribed office holders and that he has not yet got around to compiling the list. Therefore, as he has not yet compiled it, there is no issue, but depending on who is prescribed, this could become an issue.

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)

Seán Fleming: We can say the danger is potentially down the road.

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)

Seán Fleming: I note that members are discussing amendments Nos. 30 and 31 together. While I understand the Minister's point, I have a different view on it, which is why I believe this paragraph should be deleted, as should the Minister's amendment he proposes in lieu of the existing paragraph. The Minister's amendment should not be proceeded with and I will provide an example I have already mentioned....

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)

Seán Fleming: It is proposed to issue guidelines in relation to appointments of State boards. I am seeking extension of the guidelines to lobbying. This is so serious an issue the Minister is taking up Government time to introduce guidelines on appointments to State boards. Why not go the extra step and address this on a legislative basis? The Government has spent a considerable amount of time on this....

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)

Seán Fleming: And subsection (1)(g).

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)

Seán Fleming: What section is that?

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)

Seán Fleming: God help us is right.

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)

Seán Fleming: Absolutely. People who would be contemplated under the terms of the legislation would certainly be obliged to register. For the time being, Irish Water will be a national monopoly and there would be no commercial disadvantage to this information being made known. Some time ago, the Minister refused to allow Irish Water to be included under the freedom of information 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)

Seán Fleming: We did not include Irish Water either. It is a Fine Gael invention to which those in Labour have succumbed.

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)

Seán Fleming: This amendment relates to Irish Water. I have made my point and I will move on. Amendment No. 11 is designed to obliged those who register An Post to be registered. Again, An Post is a commercial semi-State body and it has a monopoly in the context of the delivery of post to houses. I accept, however, that its parcel delivery and other divisions are obliged to compete with many private...