Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 4, line 39, after ?fit? to insert the following:
?with the consent of the Minister, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the National Transport Authority?.

These again relate to the safeguards we discussed. We want the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the National Transport Authority. The provision currently provides that the board may lend money to a company - CIE lending to a subsidiary - to defray expenditure incurred by it for such purposes and subject to such terms and conditions as the board thinks fit. The board of CIE acts on our behalf and given the problems that arose in the first half of this year, should the Minister, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, and the National Transport Authority not be involved? If it ran out of money in the first half of this year, should there not be stricter controls? That is the purpose of the amendment.

On amendment No. 8, line 41 on page 4 states that one of the subsidiaries "may, with the consent of the Board (and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may determine) raise or borrow money...". Is there a case that the Minister should be involved at that stage, given the track record? Amendment No. 9 relates to section 2(3)(b) which states "establishing the priority of such charges among themselves". The Minister said that is the normal format in legislation, but who are "themselves"? Is it just the board or do we have supervision of what it does?

That is the purpose of this batch of amendments.