Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 January 2014
317. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will set out the responsibilities of the statute law reform director; to whom the director is answerable; the period of the appointment; and if it is subject to a contract. [3765/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question Ref. 42523/13 on 9 October 2013, the Statute Law Revision Programme (SLRP) is being led and managed by two professional legal personnel, one of whom is the Programme Director engaged under contract with my Department until September 2015.
The Programme Director / Legal Adviser was engaged in March 2012 by my Department following a publicly advertised open tendering process.
The Programme Director was appointed on the basis of an assessment carried out by my Department identifying the requirement for professional legal advice, guidance, support and expertise to help deliver the comprehensive programme of legislative reform measures included in the Programme for Government. The Programme Director's role, therefore, encompass but extends beyond the SLRP and has included work relating to the Ombudsman (Amendment) Act, 2012, the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act, 2013, the Protected Disclosures Bill, 2013 and the Freedom of Information Bill 2013.
The Programme Director / Legal Adviser was engaged in March 2012 by my Department following a publicly advertised open tendering process.
As set out in the request for tender for the role and the Programme Director's contract the areas or types of issues on which legal advisory services are required include the following:
- provision of legal analysis and advice relating to the development of policy options and proposals on legislative reform priorities;
- development of legislative proposals leading to the implementation of Programme for Government commitments on legislative reform;
- lead, direct and provide legal research and legal assessments required to support the policy development and legislative work of the Government Reform Unit in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform;
- advise the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the preparation of legislative proposals (e.g. General Schemes of Bills) relating to the legislative reform agenda;
- support the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the drafting of legislative proposals by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel;
- identify and develop solutions to legal issues that may arise in the context of the development of reform proposals;
- guide and develop the transfer of knowledge on legal analysis and issues, on an ongoing basis, to members of the Government Reform Unit. This includes assisting the management team in the mentoring of staff;
- acting as project director for the Statute Law Revision Programme responsible for:-
- the delivery of the current objectives identified for the Project overall;
- directing and overseeing the work of those engaged in the Project within timeframes agreed with the Head of the Government Reform Unit;
- support the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in facilitating, where necessary, the passage of the Statute Law Revision legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas; and
- quality assurance for the legislative proposals relating to statute law reform (subject to the final advice of the Office of the Attorney General).
The above list is not intended to be exhaustive and further issues or areas may arise as additional priorities may be identified, or existing priorities are revised or refined.
