Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I do not know if an official from an agency has been fined, but I am aware, as I mentioned, of a case in the former Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs where someone was dismissed for leaking confidential information. In the case in question, an official lost his job immediately when found to have leaked information about a specific person to a detective agency. There have been instances of severe punishment.

I imagine that this type of provision is to be found in most modern legislation dealing with State agencies. When a group meets, whether it is at a Cabinet meeting or a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, one cannot legislate for human nature; if a person feels the need to leak information, he or she will do so. While we can do what we like in legislation, human nature is human nature. The section is not intended to place a heavy hand on the organisation. In some instances, people believe that no harm is done when certain information is leaked, but the main target of the section is information that, if leaked, would have a detrimental effect on the organisation in question.

Question put and agreed to.

SECTION 28.

Amendment No. 31 not moved.

Government amendment No. 32:

In page 20, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following new subsection:

"(5)The Agency shall include details of any gift that exceeds, in its opinion, such amount as may be directed by the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, in the report under section 33 for the year in which the gift is accepted.".