Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Oireachtas Commission.

Liz McManus

Question:

56 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Finance the progress made regarding the provision of adequate resources for Members of the Oireachtas and Oireachtas committees in line with best practice in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5558/02]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy):

Following an organisational review of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas by the IPA, Cassidy report – March 2000, a four directorate model was accepted by the management team and sanctioned by my Department. Prior to this there had been three directors. The four director posts are graded at higher principal level. On foot of the Cassidy report my Department also sanctioned further additional staff of three principals at standard scale, three HEOs and three COs to allow the Oireachtas to start the implementation of that report.

The final report of the Committee of Public Accounts sub-committee on certain revenue matters recommended that the legislation giving effect to the establishment of an Oireachtas commission be enacted in time to have 1 January 2002 as the commencement and vesting day for it. The sub-committee also recommended that an international benchmarking exercise be undertaken in the Houses of the Oireachtas to examine the resourcing of the office in comparison to parliaments elsewhere. Until such time as this exercise is completed it is not poss ible to reach conclusions regarding the appropriate level of resources required by the commission and, consequently the estimate of the financing required for the proposed commission for the first three years. This, together with other pressing demands on Dáil time in relation to other legislation, meant that the 1 January start date was not possible.