Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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142. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on progress on political reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11039/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Good progress continues to be made on the reform priorities to strengthen public governance included in the Programme for Government for which my Department is responsible.  The current position in relation to the main elements of this reform programme is summarised below.

The General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying Bill was submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny to the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and the committee's report has been received by my Department.  Drafting of the Bill by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is continuing and it is anticipated that Bill will be published in Q2 2014, and it is planned to present the Bill to the Oireachtas before the summer recess. The Protected Disclosures Bill, 2013, establishing a detailed and comprehensive legislative framework protecting whistleblowers in all sectors of the economy, was passed by the Seanad late last year, has passed Second Stage in the Dáil recently, and is expected to be enacted by late April/early May. The Freedom of Information Bill 2013, published in July 2013, restores Ireland's FOI legislation and extends FOI to all public bodies.  It completed Committee Stage in the Dáil last November and is expected to be enacted before the Summer. In tandem with work on the new FOI Bill, a revised draft Code of Practice for FOI for Public Bodies is in the process of being finalised drawing on the report and recommendations of FOI users, advocates and expert academic researchers in FOI nationally and internationally, as well as FOI experts in public bodies. Following Government approval it is intended to publish the draft Code for public consultation with a view to having it completed on or before enactment of the new FOI legislation.

Drafting of the General Scheme of a Bill by my Department to overhaul the current ethics framework is at an advanced stage. The draft Heads of a Bill based on a review of the current statutory framework for ethics, the recommendations of the Mahon Tribunal and international best practice are intended to consolidate, simplify and modernise the current legal framework. A joint process is underway involving officials and representatives of civil society interests aimed at developing Ireland's first Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Action Plan.  The finalisation of this plan following its approval by Government will enable Ireland's full membership of the OGP reaffirming Ireland's commitment to open,  transparent and accountable public governance. A project has commenced to facilitate the implementation of the commitments encompassed by the Open Data Initiative I announced at the OGP Summit in London in autumn 2013. A comprehensive programme of Statute Law Revision has been approved by Government.  It is anticipated that the first Bill developed under this new programme will be published later this year. A consultation paper Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and Performance has been published and an a  public consultation process is currently underway. The aim of this process is to reform and reconfigure the relationship between ministers and their departments and civil servants to ensure that there is greater clarity about who is responsible to whom for what.  An Independent Panel has been established to manage and oversee this consultation process, review submissions received and to submit recommendations  for my consideration by May 2014.

The Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012 is now in force having significantly extended the Ombudsman's remit and strengthened the Ombudsman's powers.  The Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013 was commenced last September.