Vol. 422 No. 4
74 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance if, in regard to the recently published guidelines for semi-State bodies, he considers it is satisfactory that the proposed register of interest for directors of semi-State companies should be available for inspection by the chairman, secretary and chief executive of the company only; if he will ensure that the register will be available for inspection by the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The declaration of interest requirements set out in the Guidelines for State Bodies which I issued recently are specifically designed to form part of the internal control structures of the bodies in question, with a view to facilitating their optimum corporate governance.
As regards the separate issue of public access, State bodies which are plcs are, of course, subject to the disclosure requirements of the Companies Acts. The Guidelines for State Bodies to which the Deputy refers also provide that those requirements which relate to directors should be implemented in the case of those State bodies which are statutory boards and whose legislation has not yet been amended to reflect these requirements. I have no problem with this.
