Written answers
Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Legislative Measures
Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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397. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all sections of all Acts passed in the past ten years have been commenced; the number of sections that are outstanding; the number of Acts that have review periods; if the reviews have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63386/22]
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that with regard to my Department, all sections of the relevant Acts passed in the past ten years have been commenced. The information requested regarding the Acts with provisions for review and the details of the reviews to date is set out in the table below.
| Title of Act | Review period(s) |
|---|---|
| Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act, 2022 | Provision for Review to commence no later than 5 years after Act passed. Statutory Review will commence in 2027. |
| Regulation of Lobbying Act, 2015 | Provision for Review every 3 years. Statutory Reviews to date were published in April 2017 and January 2020. |
| Protected Disclosures Act, 2014 | Provision for Review to commence no later than 3 years after Act passed, with Review to be published within 12 months of commencement of Review. Statutory Review was published in July 2018. |
| Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2013 | Provision for an annual Review of the operation, effectiveness and impact of the FEMPI Acts, having regard to the overall economic conditions of the state and national competitiveness. Reviews have taken place and have been published each year since 2013. |
The Deputy may also wish to note that the Freedom of Information Act, 2014 and the Ombudsman Acts 1980 to 2012 do not mandate periodic reviews by the Minister. A review of the FOI legislation is currently in progress, which is being undertaken pursuant to Section 10(1)(d) of the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 2011, rather than under the terms of the 2014 Act itself. No other reviews have been undertaken by the Minister in relation to these two provisions since the commencement of the 2014 Act and the amendment to the Ombudsman Act in 2012.
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