Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. This is a technical but very important Bill allowing the Central Bank to disclose confidential information to the committee. As the Minister said, the joint committee put the relevant proposal to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges for its consideration. I can assure the Minister that our Committee on Procedure and Privileges scrutinised that relevant proposal in a serious manner and took quite some time to do so. I pay tribute to the members of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, the Cathaoirleach and the officials, and the members of the legal profession who assisted us in our deliberations.

As the Minister stated also, should we pass this Bill today some ancillary amendments to our Standing Orders will be required to go through the House, and I am sure we will expedite that also.

The ECB has a good deal to say with regard to the conditions on disclosures, as the Minister outlined, but as expressed by Senator Wilson also, I hope the ECB would co-operate with the committee. If it cannot have somebody attend because it feels it is answerable to the European Parliament, I would hope it will give all the necessary information to the banking inquiry committee to enable it carry out its business in a professional manner, which I am sure it will do.

I commend the Bill to the House. The question of legal fees raised by Senator Wilson was raised previously on several occasions. It had been suggested that several of the economists helping members and others on that committee are giving of their time free of charge. I hope that the legal advisers would take a leaf out of their book, but I will not hold my breath.