Coimisiún Thithe an Oireachtais Houses of the Commission Twelfth meeting Thursday, 14th October, 2004 at 9 a.m. Room 2, Leinster House

Minutes of the meeting

1. Members present

Dr. Rory O’Hanlon, T.D., Ceann Comhairle (Chairperson), Senator Ulick Burke, Deputy , Senator Rory Kiely, Cathoirleach Seanad Éireann, Deputy Brian Lenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Senator , Deputy Paul McGrath, Deputy Liz O’Donnell and Senator Joe O’Toole.

2. Changes in Commission membership

The Chairperson welcomed Senator Ulick Burke, who was appointed by Seanad Éireann on 13th October, 2004, to fill the vacancy arising from the resignation of Senator Jim Higgins from the Commission.

Congratulations were also expressed to Deputy Tony Killeen, who had ceased to be a member of the Commission on his appointment as a Minister of State.

3. Minutes of the eleventh meeting on 30th September, 2004 The minutes were agreed. 4. European Conference on ICT – Stockholm 27/28 October 2004 The meeting was informed that no member of the Commission was available to travel to the ICT Conference in Stockholm on 27th and 28th October, 2004. It was agreed that two members of the staff of the Commission would travel on its behalf and report back at the next ordinary meeting of the Commission. 5. Audit Committee – change in membership Senator Ulick Burke was appointed to the Audit Committee in place of outgoing member, Senator Jim Higgins.

1 6. Leinster House security and access The Chairperson informed the Commission that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, at its meeting on 13th October, had made decisions in relation to security and access issues on foot of recommendations by the Superintendent of the Houses and that the CPP decision would be circulated to members of the Commission. In relation to the proposal to access the Chamber via a door opposite the Members’ Bar into the narrow corridor at the back of the Chamber, the Commission decided that the Superintendent should request a fire safety assessment on this matter. 7. Accommodation The Commission, at its meeting on 8th July, 2004, had decided that the Office of Public Works be invited to make a presentation to the Commission at an early date on future strategy for the Leinster House complex and precincts. Given the implementation date of 1 November, arrangements to meet the accommodation needs of members’ new staff were now critical. It was agreed that a meeting with OPW would be held at 9 a.m. on Thursday 4th November, 2004.

8. IBR Strand 2 The Commission was informed that the Minister for Finance and his officials were actively considering the Commission’s report and it was anticipated that a formal response would issue to the Commission in the coming days. The Commission agreed to meet on Tuesday next, 19th October, to discuss the Minister’s response and to consider implementation issues arising, such as handling of media queries, and terms and conditions and codes of conduct governing employment of staff by members. It was also agreed that draft letters to members requesting them to select their preferred option under the Commission package would be prepared for 19th October. The Commission also re-affirmed the proposal contained in the report that Ministers and Ministers of State should receive similar benefits to ordinary members of the Houses on a pro- rata basis and that the costs should be met from the appropriate Department’s budget. 9. Financial report for quarter ended 30 September, 2004 – report from Finance Committee Minister of State Brian Lenihan, Chairman of the Finance Committee, presented the report of the Finance Committee [12-1-04]. The Commission noted the report. 10. Requests for sanction – recommendations from Finance Committee (1) Virement The Commission granted sanction to vire monies from Expense heads 1(b), 1 (e), 2 (b), 2 (i), 3 (c), 4 (b) and 5 (c) to meet excesses projected on Expense heads 1(a), 1 (d), 2 (a), 2 (j) and 6(a).

Sanction for additional virement to meet excesses arising on or before 31 December 2004 was delegated to the Secretary General; provided that no virement occur in the case of expense heads 2(d), 2 (h) and 7 (a) and that definitive sanction for virement be requested as soon as may be following the closure of the 2004 Account.

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(2) Legal fees The Commission authorised the Finance Committee to sanction, on its behalf, legal fees payable by or on behalf of Committees of the Houses: provided that flexibility should be given to the Secretary General to sanction fees up to an agreed limit and subject to prior consultation with the Chairman of the Finance Committee.

11. Form of Commission accounts

In accordance with section 14 of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act, 2003, the Commission agreed that accounts for the period 1 January to 31 December 2004 be kept in the form of an Appropriation Account.

12. Estimate 2005 – from Finance Committee.

The Commission approved the statement of estimates for the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005 [12-4-04], as set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes, for publication and presentation to Dáil Éireann by way of take note motion in the name of Minister of State Lenihan, in accordance with section 13 of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act, 2003. 13. Research services for members It was agreed that the members of the Commission who attended the research briefing with the officials from the Parliamentary Library in Australia on 12th October would meet with the Director of Corporate Services and the Librarian and would bring a proposal on progressing the matter to the Commission at its next ordinary meeting. 14. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10.10 a.m.

Dr. Rory O’Hanlon, T.D., Ceann Comhairle, Chairperson of the Commission.

Dated:

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