Results 9,761-9,780 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

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)

Brendan Howlin: If Ruhama was trying to break up a trafficking ring, it might be obliged to be specific.

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)

Brendan Howlin: Yes, it would, but it might also be captured by this 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)

Brendan Howlin: I do, but I wish to err on the side of safety. Where something is posing a manifest threat to the safety of a person, one must pause and think about it. Moreover, one must certainly think about something that might pose a threat to the safety of the security of the State.

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)

Brendan Howlin: I do not think that would be captured by the definitions I have set out.

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)

Brendan Howlin: Yes, but one must have an assurance that no action would be taken that would put at risk the security of the State. This needs to be defined clearly and I believe it would be. It certainly would not be captured by the instance the Deputy has just given, in my judgment.

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)

Brendan Howlin: It is the same approach, which we debated at some length, that I took, for example, in the Freedom of Information Bill. The approach is that there are things which should not be disclosed because they could pose a threat to the life or safety of an individual or undermine the security of the State. That was generally accepted.

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)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 30: In page 7, to delete lines 28 to 30 and substitute the following:“(k) communications by a designated public official in his or her capacity as such; (l) communications which—(i) are made by a person who is employed by, or holds any office or other position in, a public service body in his or her capacity as such, or (ii) are made by a person engaged for...

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)

Brendan Howlin: My point is that the same entity cannot be "the lobbied" and "the lobbying". Communications between members of the same Department are exempt because it is understood that if a principal officer is talking to an assistant secretary, that is not lobbying. I am providing for where an external person is designated, but it is not automatic that every semi-State body will be designated for 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)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy is right that my aim in developing the Bill was to preserve normal and proper communications and interaction between individuals, as citizens, and their local representatives. I want to ensure, in so far as possible, that there will be no impact on these exchanges as a result of this legislation. Therefore, the private affairs of individuals have been specifically excluded from...

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)

Brendan Howlin: I can think of two examples, one involving the painting of a house. That could not be captured in terms of lobbying. What occurred was in the normal course of corrupt action; it had nothing to do with lobbying per se.

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)

Brendan Howlin: I will ask my officials to think further about it to see if there is any merit in what the Deputy is saying. If she has further thoughts, she might send them to me.

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)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 24: In page 7, to delete lines 9 to 12.

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)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 27: In page 7, to delete lines 16 and 17 and substitute the following:“(e) communications of factual information made in response to a request for the information;”.I am proposing amendment No. 27 to bring greater clarity to this exemption. The reference in section 5(3)(e) in the Bill as published refers to a request by a designated public official for...

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)

Brendan Howlin: I was hoping there would be an explanation of why the Deputy wanted to delete them. It is self-evident that information that would pose a threat to the safety of an individual should not be disclosed. Certainly, information that could pose a threat to the security of the State should not be disclosed. I do not see any reason it should be.

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)

Brendan Howlin: It is important to have the provision included. If there is information that would pose a threat to the security of the State, it should not be disclosed. Consequently, we have included the clause in the Bill.

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)

Brendan Howlin: Where?

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)

Brendan Howlin: Where would a threat to the safety of a person be covered?

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)

Brendan Howlin: Why would there be an objection to being explicit about 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)

Brendan Howlin: The first group of people to be captured is set out on page 8 and includes, Ministers, Ministers of State, Members of Dáil and Seanad Éireann, members of the European Parliament for constituencies within the State, members of local authorities, special advisers appointed under section 11 of the Public Service Management Act and public servants of a prescribed description. I presume...

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)

Brendan Howlin: It provides for any other prescribed office holders or description of persons and is future proofing the provision. I do not want to go much beyond the current list at this point. I do not yet have a list of the other people to be included. This is an issue which this committee might reflect on after a year. We need to give it a year to see how it works. If following a review the...