Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I disagree with what my Sinn Féin colleague has just said. One need only look at what is happening in any sector of Irish society where one has individuals, such as those working in the Central Bank, who are poached into the private sector or persons who are providing information externally. When one reads back over some of what happened in the lead up to the bank guarantee, one must question the external factors which hovered above individuals who had classified information given where that information ended up. I would like to see some clarification from the Minister, but I presume that it is not information for the public good that we are discussing. What we are talking about is information used for personal gain.

The full rigours of the law should apply where an individual on a board like Bord na gCon or Horse Racing Ireland or a committee under the aegis of the Minister passes information having left the position or during his or her tenure which is commercially sensitive or, more important, financially lucrative to other individuals and that information is used for the financial gain of outside persons. It goes without question that if an individual is appointed to a State board and feeds information to his or her own sector or colleagues or others whereby it can be used for financial gain, he or she should face the full rigours of the law. I think I understand where Senator Ó Clochartaigh is coming from - he is looking at the public good - but there is a very fine balance between the public good, commercially sensitive information and personal gain. On reading the section, I agree with the Minister of State and presume the clarification will accord with what I have set out.