merrion street

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr Brendan Howlin, T.D. today (12 September 2011) published the Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011.

Welcoming the publication the Minister stated

"ensuring that the Oireachtas has an effective system of inquiry which can secure effective and cost-efficient parliamentary scrutiny of issues of significant public importance is essential in facilitating more open, transparent and better Government as promised in the Programme for Government. This is a key element of the Government’s ambitious political reform agenda"

This Bill will enable the constitutional referendum, to allow the Houses of the Oireachtas undertake full inquiries into matters of general public importance in an effective and efficient manner responding to the issues raised in the judgment of the Supreme Court in the so-called Abbeylara case in 2002.

The Minister has also published detailed draft Heads of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Powers of Inquiry) Bill, 2011 detailing the proposed structure and operation of the proposed new system of Oireachtas inquiry, as part of an Explanatory Note which also explains the requirement for and the wording of the proposed Referendum.

The Bill will be initiated in the Dail this Thursday, 15 September 2011 and will complete its passage through the Seanad no latter than 22 September to ensure that the Referendum can be held on 27 October, the same date as the Presidential Election and the Referendum on Judges’ Pay.

 Explanatory Note Referendum on Oireachtas Inquiries

 Draft Heads Houses of the Oireachtas _Powers of Inquiry_ Bill 2011