Results 13,161-13,180 of 21,204 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I know, but I very much doubt that Ruhama which has lobbied me very effectively would be naming individuals or-----

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----disclosing or breaching data protection provisions.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: Would that not be a matter for An Garda Síochána?

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister must give this issue more consideration. I will also give it further consideration, but I do not believe the Minister appreciates the point I am making.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would be more positively disposed to considering these things in that spirit were the Minister in a position to give concrete examples of where that might happen. I will give him another example. Were there to be corporate lobbying of some individual, Department or public official on the arming of the Defence Forces or something like that, there might be an argument on one side to 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)

Mary Lou McDonald: My concern is that, depending on their interpretation, it just might.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: In my judgment, a little more thought must be given to this issue. I do not argue for any disclosure that may pose a threat to anybody's safety, much less the safety of the State. However, I reiterate the point that we are not at a starting position at which there is a free-for-all with information flows. Far from it, as our dilemma is the opposite, which is that lobbying activities have...

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I wish to know specifically what that means for the purposes of this Bill operating at full capacity. While I will withdraw the amendment for the present, I probably will return to it on Report Stage.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 29: In page 7, to delete lines 24 and 25.I will withdraw the amendment with a view to returning to this matter on Report Stage.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: In principle, I agree strongly. The Minister is absolutely correct, but, in the light of some of the scandals and corruption concerns that emerged in the State, decisions did relate to people's private residence in some cases. I am, therefore, concerned about making this exemption.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am not convinced.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I will withdraw it, subject to my being able to reintroduce it on Report Stage.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 28: In page 7, to delete lines 22 and 23.Again, this deals with the issue of acceptable communications. In each of my amendments I am querying the exemptions of communications the disclosure of which could pose a threat to the safety of a person or the security of the State. Will the Minister provide us with his rationale for these exemptions?

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: There are obviously matters which, if disclosed, would pose a threat to the security of an individual or the State. I am sure there are many such examples. However, given the scope of the Bill which relates to the lobbying of power brokers in the State, as the Minister put it, in regard to public policy, the awarding of grants, etc., will the Minister instance where such a communication...

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: There are already legislative protections for such information that might pose a threat to 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)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Official Secrets Act is an example. There are checks and balances within the legislative framework.

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: Under section 5(3)(n) and section 5(6), the Minister has the power to accept specific communications with designated public officials on relevant matters, policy, law and the allocation of public funds as long as he takes the public interest into account. He actually has power under the legislation should such exceptional circumstances arise. I am simply pointing out, as we work our way...

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: My concern is that we are not operating from a starting position of transparency and a culture of openness in respect of lobbying activities. The Minister will agree with me on that point. This represents the first really significant step forward in that regard; therefore, I have an automatic reservation about any sweeping provision such as this. It will all be in the interpretation of...

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I understand and support the idea of this being the first iteration of the legislative framework. Unquestionably, we will learn from it and it will change. Provision is being made for a review after one year, followed by further reviews every three years, which is correct. I appreciate the Minister's point that people must have a democratic opportunity to have communications with the power...

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)

Mary Lou McDonald: I appreciate that. I do not propose to get into a debate with the Minister at this point on the issue of appointments to the North-South bodies, except to say that they are unique bodies approved by the North-South Ministerial Council. The public appointments system in the North, although not perfect is much more advanced than the system here. I have not yet read the guidelines but will...