Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

The purpose of amendment No. 6 is to delete the words "by the Taoiseach" from section 5, which deals with the expenses incurred in the administration of this Act. I am advised that this amendment will make the Bill consistent with the similar section, section 6, of the Statistics Act 1993.

I do not propose to accept amendments Nos. 7 to 17, inclusive, the effect of which would be to airbrush the Minister for Finance out of the Bill. As the House will appreciate, under public financial procedures and the legislative framework for public expenditure, the sanction of the Minister for Finance is required for public expenditure, notwithstanding that general approval may already have been given by the Dáil. The Minister for Finance — this is the important point — is constitutionally and legally responsible for the administration of all public funds. It would not be appropriate or correct, therefore, for me to accept the amendments.

I have checked two Acts which were sponsored by the Taoiseach, namely, the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Act 1988 and the Statistics Act 1993 to which I referred. In both Acts the sanction of the Minister for Finance is required in regard to expenses incurred. I do not propose to deviate from that precedent in this Bill.

For both these reasons, therefore, I cannot accept the amendments. The constitutional position is straightforward.