Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs debate -
Thursday, 11 May 1995

SECTION 156.

Mr. McCreevy

I move amendment No. 134:

In page 168, lines 24 to 27, to delete subsection (2).

This section will give the Revenue Commissioners power to request the Minister or any other Department to give details of payments made by that Department. I am not against the idea in principle, because all kinds of information have been requested from other agencies over a long period of years, but the section will allow for the submission of the details of who receives headage grants and other such payments from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. I propose the deletion of subsection (2) in order to uphold the dignity of office holders. Under the section, the Revenue Commissioners can nominate any of their officers to ask the Minister to provide this information. However, it is the Revenue Commissioners themselves who should ask the Minister or the Department.

Mr. Quinn

Is it proposed to delete section 2?

Mr. McCreevy

No, section 156(2).

Mr. M. McDowell

To require the Revenue Commissioners to act personally.

Mr. McCreevy

Yes; it requires the Revenue Commissioners to act in every case, rather than authorised officers, because the request will be made to the Minister. The amendment does not do away with the principle of section 156.

Mr. Quinn

Asking the Minister is a bit like "I am directed by the Minister to tell you...". The Minister is corporate sole rather then me personally, or successors or predecessors.

Mr. McCreevy

No, the section identifies clearly that it is the Minister who is to be asked but that one of the Revenue Commissioners' authorised officers may be nominated to do so. I am just making the point that the Revenue Commissioners should ask the Minister themselves.

Mr. Quinn

The Deputy is a former Minister for Social Welfare and I am informed that a similar provision exists there.

Mr. McCreevy

There was a change of powers there because it was found that we had so many deciding officers. I think that is the provision to which the Minister is referring.

Mr. Quinn

I will certainly look at it.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Amendment No. 135 not moved.

Section 156 agreed to.