Results 13,361-13,380 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legal Matters (11 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: On 29 May 2013, the High Court gave judgment on certain preliminary issues in the case to which the Deputy refers. No final High Court Order has been made. The matter was back in court on 11 June 2013 for further consideration and, on foot of a request by the applicants, was adjourned until 25 June 2013. Until a final High Court Order is delivered, no decision on procurement policy can be made.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together. The closest data currently available within the Department to that sought by the Deputy indicates that the percentage of employee numbers on a whole time equivalent basis (based on a whole time equivalent figure of 292,000) on a salary range of €60,000 or more, is 18%. I do not have a breakdown of the Pension Related Deduction...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tourism Promotion (11 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Office of Public Works (OPW) administers a range of visitor sites in Dublin. A number of these sites, that are free of charge, do not have a guided service. As a consequence, visitor numbers are not recorded at these sites. An example of such a site is St. Stephen's Green. The following tables list those OPW visitor sites where visitor numbers are recorded and the admission and guided...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: This proposes to exclude from freedom of information investigation the processes of the actual inquiry, namely, the records or documentation created for the purposes of an inquiry. This is parliamentary business.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The workings of an inquiry will have a wide range of data, etc., some of which will be excluded from consideration, and be weighed, parsed and analysed by the Oireachtas qua Oireachtas. I am certainly of the opinion that such process work should not be subject to FOI.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Once the report is completed, that is the official record and not its component parts. It would be an undermining of the parliamentary process for that to have to undergo the FOI process, be trawled through and so on. That is my judgment but we will hear the Deputy's views on Report Stage. He may wish to attack it.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I was strongly of the view, and argued it in the Supreme Court and the High Court, that the private papers should be protected. This measure protects the private papers of Members from FOI unless it is determined by a court that they are required for the administration of justice.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: That is procedural and those are not private papers. It is up to the Oireachtas to determine what qualifies as private papers but there will be communications that should be privileged, as well as some that should not be determined to be private papers. The Oireachtas will set those rules.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: This section provides that nothing in this Act prevents the giving of or compliance with a direction under section 3 of the Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges and Immunities of Witnesses) Act 1997 - the 1997 Act - or the possession, distribution, printing, publication or showing by either House of the Oireachtas a committee, within the meaning of that Act,...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I am told this is consequential on repealing the 1997 Act. I can read the-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: This section provides that in section 17, subject to section 11(2) of the Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges and Immunities of Witnesses) Act 1997, and without prejudice to the generality, it shall be a defence to a defamation action for the defendant to prove that the statement in respect of which the action was brought was made in either House of the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: We are repealing the 1997 Act and are restating what privilege means.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Correct.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In the circumstances stated.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I shall respond to the point made by Deputy McDonald later.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: To put it bluntly, if somebody says he or she is not swearing up, that is not as damaging to the committee's work as somebody who swears up and then tells a pack of lies.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: They will apply to somebody who swears up and then tells a pack of lies. It would be a matter for the DPP to determine whether a summary case should be taken, which would imply a fine in the lower court, that is, the District Court or whether the evidence was so egregious and the damage done so horrendous that it would require a jury trial before the Circuit or High Court, implying a term of...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Yes.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: It is the same thing.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Five years.