JOINT COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Oct 2003

Vol. 1 No. 18

Messages to Dáil and Seanad.

Chairman

In accordance with Dáil Standing Order 85, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:

The Joint Committee on Finance and Public Service has completed its consideration of the Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2003.

In accordance with Seanad Standing Order 67, the following message will be sent to the Seanad:

The Joint Committee on Finance and Public Service has completed its consideration of the Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2003.

Mr. R. Bruton

On a procedural point, I did not see the terms of the motion we are approving. Points have been made with which I concur that the benchmarking commission should be the subject of freedom of information legislation. I presume we will have the opportunity to table amendments to that motion in the House if we so choose and that the Chairman will not report consensus on the list we have discussed.

Chairman

The motion was referred to us by each House of the Oireachtas. We have completed consideration of the motion which was passed by both Houses requesting the committee to consider the matter.

Deputy R. Bruton

I propose an amendment to the motion that we add the benchmarking commission to the list of bodies discoverable under freedom of information legislation. DeputyBurton has indicated her support.

Chairman

The motion has been referred to us for our consideration. We have completed our consideration of it and it goes back to both Houses of the Oireachtas. It is up to the Whips whether there is a vote or a debate in each House when it goes back to them. Those are the fora in which votes take place.

Deputy R. Bruton

I seek assurance that the Chairman's report back to the House will not indicate that there is agreement on the list which should be discoverable under freedom of information legislation because there are different views in that some Members believe additional bodies should be included on that list. I seek an assurance that the Chairman's report will not foreclose the opportunity in the House for a debate or a vote, if it comes to that.

Chairman

The report will state that we have completed consideration of the motion which is that the Dáil approve the regulation. A vote can be called in the House on that. It is a matter for each House.

Senator O’Toole

It will come back to each House. I ask members to be clear about one issue, that is, that there was more access to information in the benchmarking process than in any industrial relations process in which I was ever involved and much more than from the Labour Court. I made presentations for both Houses to the Buckley commission and I do not see why the Buckley commission cannot be included. When the Buckley commission reported in respect of TDs and Senators, we did what all genuine workers do - we asked how much we would get, when we would get it, if there was back money and then we pocketed it. This idea of having a go at the rest of the public service is not on. It is victimisation. We have done a good day's work today and we should stick with it.

Deputy R. Bruton

Senator O'Toole always wants to have the last word but I will not let him away with that last comment. This is not an attack on the public service. This House should radically reform the approach it takes to dealing with its business. I await with great interest the Government's proposals in this area because there does not seem to be an appetite for a serious examination of Estimates, for example, before they are nodded through at budget time. There is much scope for reform here.

Chairman

It is a matter for the Dáil and the Seanad whether they approve the motion with or without a debate. There can be a vote on it. The committee does not have a role in that. It is up to each House to make a decision.

As there are no other items on the agenda for consideration, the committee will adjourn until 9.30 a.m. on 5 November when it will hear presentations on the future of tax relief for the film industry. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, and his officials for attending today.

The joint committee adjourned at 4.47 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 November 2003.