Results 9,781-9,800 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: The threshold is not written in stone.

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 first say a few general words to capture the themes that have been expressed by both Deputies.  This is a new area of operation to register and capture the lobbying of power - the lobbying of Government.  Probably more preparatory work went into this legislation than into the legislation on freedom of information, the protection of whistleblowers and all other such...

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: Section 1(g). Apologies; it is section 6(1)(g). Section 6(1)(g) allows the definition of the lobbied to be extended, which I intend to do that but, again, on the basis of experience. The first iteration of this will be secretaries general of the Departments, assistant secretaries general, principal officers, chief executive officers of local authorities, chief executives of companies and...

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: God help us.

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: A lot of people are going to be obliged to register.

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: One thing of which we can be certain is that it was never included by Fianna Fáil under any 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: A lot of them overlap and deal with the same 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)

Brendan Howlin: They were published this afternoon.

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.

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: Perhaps the Deputy should have waited to read the guidelines before drafting 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 said I would publish them within six weeks of my last announcement.

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 am minded to agree with the Deputy. In the original version of the Bill, when I brought heads to Cabinet, it was the Regulation of Lobbyists Bill. We changed it on the advice of the Parliamentary Counsel who interpret these matters very strictly. They said the new title more accurately reflected the content and purpose of the Bill. I prefer the Deputy’s title. If the Deputy is...

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 agree with Deputy Fleming that there should be transparency about the number of determinations made under the delayed publication provisions as set out in section 14. I have ensured that transparency does apply in the Bill by including a requirement in section 25 that information relating to any determination made under section 14, or enforced during any year, be included in the annual...

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: No, it is in section 25 on page 21, “2 (a) any determinations under section 14 made or in force in that year,”. Section (1) states: The Commission shall prepare an annual report relating to the operation of this Act and shall cause a copy of it to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas no later than 30 June in the year following that to which it relates.

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: Section 14 relates to the publication.

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 positive and negative determinations are captured by the section and both will be referenced.

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: Many of the other grouped amendments are technical to ensure consistency throughout the Bill. Amendments Nos. 59, 60, 69, 71, 73, 74, 77, 78, 79, 82, 83, 85 and 86 all have the effect of describing the commission in the singular throughout the Bill, “commission” as opposed to “commissions”. The amendments delete “they” and substitute...

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. 3: In page 6, line 1, to delete “5 years” and substitute “3 years”.I will speak on amendments Nos. 3 and 4 first. The published Bill provides a periodic review of this legislation. The first review of the operation of the Act will be one year of operation subsequent to commencement. There was some debate about this on Second Stage. I am...

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. 4: In page 6, line 3, to delete “5 years” and substitute “3 years”.

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. 5: In page 6, to delete lines 7 to 10 and substitute the following:“(4) In conducting a review the Minister shall—(a) consult the Commission, (b) take into account any relevant report of a committee appointed by either House of the Oireachtas or jointly by both Houses, and (c) consult such persons carrying on lobbying activities and such bodies representing...