Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I echo one of the Minister's points, in that this legislation goes further than any other legislation I have seen in setting out prescriptive procedures for an agency's operation, right down to requiring it to put in place performance frameworks and corporate plans and to publish the approved plans and annual performance statements. It also provides for a determination by the Minister of net expenditure limits for the agency, a business plan, etc. These measures are not usual in any legislation that I have seen for a Government or semi-State agency.

A number of the Bill's components other than those mentioned by the Minister would require the kind of information in question to be given to and approved by the board, assuming that everything was in line with the expenditure limits set for the agency by the Minister. Even the board would not have the right to recruit consultants whenever it saw fit. It requires the Minister to consent to the engagement of consultants.

I agree with almost 90% of everything Senator van Turnhout says, but the agency is a corporate entity that operates through its board of directors. In accordance with ministerial consents, corporate plans, business plans and so forth, the board devolves powers to the organisation's CEO and employees. The agency is well protected by the structures set out in the Bill.