Results 3,121-3,140 of 4,718 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senator Ruane for agreeing to withdraw amendment No. 4. I would add that the role of the Chief Justice in recommending a judge of the superior courts has been well established in relation to codes, including the provisions of the Electoral Act 1997 relating to constituency commissions, for many years. Again, however, I welcome that. I will make a general point regarding the overall...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: This proposed amendment, which has been put forward by Senators Ruane, Higgins, Black and Flynn, relates to section 10(5) of the Bill, which applies to the reappointment of ordinary members of the commission. The Bill currently states that when a person is being reappointed, it will not be necessary for him or her to participate in a selection competition undertaken by the Public...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I do not see a necessity for this amendment so I will not be supporting it.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Ruane, Higgins, Black and Flynn for this amendment, which seeks to amend the existing provision in order that the commission be required to make publicly available all of its meeting documents.It is not advisable to place a blanket requirement on the commission to publish all of its meeting documents as certain meeting documents may relate to sensitive matters on such issues...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I have given a commitment in the Dáil select committee to Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and others throughout this process that, upon the establishment of the commission, among its first duties will be to carry out a comprehensive review of the 1997 Act. We believe this is the correct way to address the issue of "political purposes" as it relates to political funding. We have had a number of...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, to give that reassurance, making that political commitment is important. It is critically important we do that here, in the Dáil and in the select committee. I am giving that commitment to the Senator and to the organisations that have campaigned on this so well over recent years that it is going to happen within the lifetime of this Government Separately, if we are...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am proud to be fringe and crazy.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: It has been an excellent debate and I thank all Senators for their contributions. I will speak specifically to the amendments first and then I will come back in, if that is okay. I thank the Senators for tabling these amendments relating to An Coimisiún Toghcháin, considering and making recommendations in relation to the voting age. Chapter 9 of Part 2 empowers an coimisiún...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Yes, I think it is. It is referenced in the programme for Government so there is a programme for Government commitment. We are trying to go broader than that and look at the experience in other jurisdictions. That came out loud and clear from contributions on other Stages of the Bill. While the programme for Government commits to consideration of the Scottish experience, we are clear that...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: We will try to do that if my diary allows.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I thank Senators for the proposed amendment, which would require that the commission would lay a record of all contracts for consultants or advisers before both Houses of the Oireachtas on a biannual basis. Appendix B5 of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies - Business and Financial Reporting Requirements, requires that expenditure by public bodies on external...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Moynihan, Hoey, Sherlock and Wall for tabling this amendment. Deputy Nash raised the matter to which it relates on Committee Stage in the Dáil and I undertook to consult with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on it. In the intervening period, I was advised that the reference in the Bill to the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 is correct and it is not necessary...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I understand the Senator is not proceeding with amendment No. 20.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will speak to amendments Nos. 19 and 20 nonetheless because they are related. Amendments Nos. 19 and 20 propose to remove section 20(6) and instead insert that the chief executive can be reappointed only once. Both approaches seek to achieve the same goal and the option put forward by the Senators was considered in the course of drafting. However, my officials and I were guided by the...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: It is clear we are trying to have an equitable process for the removal of a chief executive. It correctly allows the chief executive to make representations. It must be equitable for due process. That is what we are trying to achieve here.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will seek clarity for the Senator.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will get clarification on that for the Senator.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Ruane, Higgins, Black and Flynn for these amendments. Amendment No. 23 seeks to amend existing provisions in order that, in addition to an coimisiún’s annual report being published, it would be published in an accessible manner. Amendment No. 51 seeks to provide that the post-electoral event reviews that an coimisiún may produce would be published in...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Section 28 sets out that the Central Statistics Office and Ordnance Survey Ireland, OSI, shall provide assistance to the commission in its work free of charge. This section transposes existing legislation relating to constituency reviews. The amendment proposes to add to this section that the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission will also provide assistance free of charge. Section...

Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: If the Deputies are largely supportive of the amendments, then I will seek their support on them.