Deputy Derek Keating has expressed his concerns about the proposed ACTA legislation that has recently been signed by the state. Speaking in Dáil Eireann earlier today, Deputy Keating acknowledged the confusion surrounding the proposition and argued to Minister Seán Sherlock that it could directly affect both small and large businesses in Ireland:

“This ACTA agreement is seen to be an Irish version of the controversial SOPA bill. Now, while the proposition aims to tackle counterfeited goods, startup and even longer term established online businsesses could potentially suffer”.

Deputy Keating then questioned if the Minister had a plan in place to “help” those affected by the changes to come. Expressing such concerns, Deputy Keating also added that the IT sector is one of many sectors that are crucial to the state:

“With such a requirement and dependancy on our tourism industry, our IT sector, on business and sport and even the social medium -- this is an area that where people feel we need protection and clarification”.

You can view the full debate below, which may include clarification with some of Deputy Sherlock’s points.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0AurDVrIgw

Recently, Derek performed with the Dáil choir on The Late Late Show in aid of Pieta House. Speaking after their performance, members of the choir, including Derek, voice their concerns over the silence surrounding suicide and ask people to support Pieta House by making “Bridge Over Troubled Water” the No.1 song this Christmas. Singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, the track is now not only available to listen to, but you can also purchase it from itunes.

If you’d like to support their efforts and purchase the track, please visit : http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/bridge-over-troubled-water/id483621624

If you need more information about Pieta House, or suicide prevention, then please click here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSXFk5aHe20

This song was recorded in aid of Pieta House, to raise awareness of their work and raise much needed funds. It features Ministers, Senators and TDs from across the Irish political spectrum. All are current members of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament). None of them had ever sung before but they were willing to take part to support the great work done by Pieta House, luckily the song also features the talent and wonderful voices of the Lucan and Dublin Gospel Choirs.

Please support Pieta House by sharing this video and downloading the song from iTunes. All the proceeds from the sale of the single goes directly to the charity.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xxXTxlt6Z4

MIRIAM LORD

Mon, Nov 14, 2011

Fine Gael’s Peter Mathews seemed the best candidate for the mantle of Bono

THE SCENE before showtime was strained. Performers sitting around in a circle of apprehension, like nervous dental patients awaiting the dreaded call to surgery.

Normally, the same people would go rigid with excitement at the sight of a camera. Stick a voice recorder under their noses and they’ll talk forever. But on Saturday, the prospect of standing in front of a microphone while cameras rolled had the politicians in a state of high anxiety.

One by one, they were summoned before trudging next door to the darkened studio, while those colleagues left behind called out encouragement.

Then, a few minutes later, the door would burst open to reveal the nervous lamb, now smiling broadly and walking with a bit of a rock star swagger. “Did it!”

The TDs and Senators in Ballyfermot College of Education on Saturday morning found themselves way outside their comfort zone when they gathered – Band-Aid style – to record their version of Bridge Over Troubled Water for Pieta House, the suicide awareness organisation.

There were no tantrums. The only slight note of discord came from the men, all of whom wanted to be Bono. In the end, it might be Fine Gael’s Peter Mathews who fits that bill with his stand-out mellow bass contribution.

The cross-party singing group numbered almost 20, and most of them managed to make their date with their musical destiny.

Those who couldn’t – including Joan Burton, Simon Coveney, Michael Ring and Eamon Coghlan – are recording their bits of Bridge Over Troubled Water in Leinster House this week and will be spliced into the video later.

We so wanted to hear Joan sing, but she was busy on Saturday, what with the Labour Women’s conference and then a television chatshow appearance in the evening.

Back in Ballyer, we hadn’t seen Minister of State Lucinda Creighton look so worried since the heave against Enda.

Senator Averil Power admitted her only singing experience was The Green Fields of France at three in the morning.

“I’m doing a [charity] boxing match in two weeks’ time and I’m less nervous about that,” she pointed out.

Musical director Jim Sheridan called the politicians to the stage individually and then in groups. Mick Wallace arrived late and with his arm in a new sling, having injured it again when he prematurely removed the sling he had been wearing for a previous injury.

The Independent TD isn’t the sweetest of singers, it must be said. He explained his robust style comes from years of singing at football matches – whereupon he burst into a noisy rendition of Molly Malone.

Music producer Dave Kearney, who is behind the project along with Fine Gael TD Derek Keating, buried his head in his hands. “It’s not the right song, but who cares,” he sighed.

Finian McGrath produced his guitar and the politicians had a rowdy cross-party sing-song.

Then Mick confessed he hadn’t learned his lines.

Meath East TD Regina Doherty brought along her daughter Grace (who’ll be 10 next month), who said she would love to be a famous singer. More than a politician, like her mum? “I’d rather be a politician,” she said loyally.

Stephen Donnelly (Ind) and Robert Troy (FF) clustered around the microphone with Finian and Lucinda, clutching their headphones the way the big stars do and warbling with all their might.

Peter Mathews was in his element. “Do you want me to go lower,” he asked the control room, his voice already down in the basement.

The musical director was impressed. “Peter has a lovely deep voice and I think any musical society would want to recruit him,” said Jim Sheridan, who also singled out Sinn Féin’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn for honourable mention.

Deputy Terence Flanagan (FG) took it in his stride. But then, the deputy for Dublin North East is used to big musical occasions, having played side drum with the Artane Band on All-Ireland final day.

His colleague Frank Feighan was flushed with success, having managed to sing a song other than his party piece, Oh, What a Beautiful Morning , which will come as a relief to his weary party colleagues.

In Minister Burton’s absence, Senator Lorraine Higgins kept the red flag flying.

The politicians were kept on track by two gospel choirs in full gowned regalia, and the wonders of audio/visual technology will do the rest.

“This isn’t costing us a penny to produce,” said Dave Kearney. “Jim, who is the Late Late Show musical director, is giving his services free, as is everyone else working on the track. Ballyfermot College have given us full use of their facilities, and the students came in to work on the filming.” RTÉ’s Mooney Show will be promoting the song, while distribution network Indi entertainment will distribute it on six different worldwide platforms, including iTunes.

© 2011 The Irish Times

QUESTION NO:  *87

DÁIL QUESTION addressed to the Taoiseach
by Deputy Derek Keating
for WRITTEN ANSWER on Tuesday, 8th November, 2011.

QUESTION NO:  *87
To ask the Taoiseach the retirement salary, the retirement package and if bonuses or other payments are being made to the retiring Director of Public Prosecutions (details supplied); the amount of their pension on retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY.
The superannuation scheme for the retiring Director of Public Prosecutions is set out in the Statutory Instrument No. 96 of 2009.  In accordance with it, the Director will receive a pension of €114,840 per annum and a net lump sum of €319,315.  No bonuses or other payment are being made to the Director.  While the Director’s gross annual salary on the date of his retirement was €215,590, he had made a voluntary gift to the Minister for Finance to reduce the amount of salary paid to him to an annual sum of €200,000.

QUESTION NO:  *92

DÁIL QUESTION addressed to the Taoiseach
by Deputy Derek Keating
for WRITTEN ANSWER on Tuesday, 8th November, 2011.

QUESTION NO:  *92
To ask the Taoiseach the terms of the contract and the length of appointment including salary, bonuses, expenses, travel and subsistence that makes up the contract of appointment for the new Director of Public Prosecutions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY.
The term of Office for the new Director of Public Prosecutions will be ten years and is not renewable.  The post will attract a salary of €190,000 which may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.  No bonuses or expenses are payable.  Travel and subsistence will, where necessary, be paid under the rules and at the rates which apply in the civil service.

The pension entitlements of the new Director will be set out in a scheme to be made shortly by the Taoiseach, in consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in accordance with the Prosecutions of Offences Act 1974, and the scheme will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Press Release by Derek Keating, T.D.
Tuesday 8th November 2011
following a Dail question to the Taoiseach (32731/11)

Dail question to the Taoiseach: re Retirement of DPP

To ask the Taoiseach the retirement salary, the retirement package and the bonuses or other payments being made to the retiring Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Hamilton; the amount of his pension on retirement and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I will forward the reply  I received this evening in respect of a Dail question I tabled in the House following the announcement by the Director of Public Prosecutions of his retirement and confirmation by him to the public media that this decision was based on financial circumstances.

PRESS RELEASE:

“Keating disappointed with retirement package for another senior civil servant”

I am very disappointed with the fact that another senior Public Servant who is well paid and enjoys excellent employment conditions, including annual leave in excess of the normal leave given to a junior Civil Servant, has decided purely for financial reasons to protect his pension entitlements to retire from his position as Director of Public Prosecution two years earlier than planned.

In a recent newspaper report, Mr. Hamilton’s expenses revealed that, despite statements from the D.P.P. that his office is fully stretched, he has engaged in significant foreign expeditions which include South Africa, Singapore, Prague, Brazil, Madrid, Venice, Dubai, Cameroon, Vienna, Minnesota and Seoul and he always travels first class, business class and on occasions was accompanied by his wife. However, he refunded the cost of his wife’s part of the journey to the State after the trip.

In my view, the D.P.P. has enjoyed a “charmed” position in his 12 year tenure of the post. I am saddened that he saw fit to depart his position on financial grounds. This is why I tabled Question 92 to the Taoiseach regarding the terms of contract and the length of the appointment including all details of the newly appointed D.P.P. to replace Mr. Hamilton.

As I have stated in the past, senior Civil Servants who are well paid, well pensioned and well holidayed must remember that they are paid from the public purse and should see more to the terms of their contract in the important positions that they hold. To say that I am disappointed in Mr. Hamilton’s decision is an understatement.

Varadkar defends changes in Dublin Bus

MICHAEL O’REGAN

DUBLIN BUS schedules reflected new traffic levels, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar told the Dáil. He supported the company’s efforts to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness under the network direct programme and significant efficiencies and savings had already been achieved.

“Given the losses recorded by Dublin Bus in 2010 and further reductions in the PSO subvention due over the coming years, it is important that the Deloitte report and the network direct programme are fully delivered upon to ensure the viability of the service.”

Mr Varadkar said the Deloitte cost and efficiency review of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann was published in January 2009. While it found Bus Éireann to be largely efficient, it identified scope for great efficiencies in Dublin Bus.

Following the report, Dublin Bus undertook an extensive network review and announced its plans for the reorganisation of routes and timetables.

“The objective of the redesign is to provide current and future bus customers with a service that will be modern, accessible, integrated, easy to understand, punctual and frequent,” he added. It was delivering real and tangible benefits to the vast majority of bus users.

“For example, when completed later this year, there will be a doubling in routes with frequency of 10 minutes or better,” he added.

“A total of 60 per cent of customers will be carried on high-frequency routes, whereas this stood at 23 per cent previously.”

The Minister was replying to Dublin Mid West TD Derek Keating (FG) who said the reorganisation of routes was not working. He had attended many consultation meetings, he said, and his abiding memory was how the issues raised by people were not addressed in the consultation process.

John Drennan: Referendum will put banks before new Dail inquiry

Lenders face fresh grilling if October vote passes

By JOHN DRENNAN
Sunday October 16 2011

Ireland’s disgraced banks will be the first item on the agenda if a referendum proposing to give Dail committees the power to investigate scandals and make findings of fact on individuals and institutions is passed.

Senior government sources told the Sunday Independent that it would be “inconceivable if the referendum is passed that banking would not be the first item on the agenda”.

The concept of giving powers to Dail committees that would allow them to replace the discredited tribunal system has come under sustained attack from a well-heeled lobby of lawyers.

But Minister for Public Reform Brendan Howlin said: “This Government is bringing this referendum so that we can publicly ask the key questions on the key issues that the public deserve answers to.”

Astonishingly, three years after the banking guarantee plunged the State towards bankruptcy, while there has been a series of separate investigations into various aspects of the collapse of the banking system, there has been no comprehensive investigation of the role that the banks played in the near collapse of State finances.

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Independent, Mr Howlin said: “It will be a matter for the committee to ultimately determine what matters inquiries are held into but I expect recent events relating to our banking system as set out in the reports by Regling and Watson, Professor Honohan and the Nyberg Commission will be high on the agenda.”

Concerns have been raised about the fairness of any such inquiry.

However, a senior government source said “we are not abolishing the courts” and, in a reference to the rebukes that tribunals such as Mahon have received from the Supreme Court, added that “the track record of some tribunals suggests citizens have a better chance of fairness in the Oireachtas than in tribunals”.

Mr Howlin, meanwhile, noted that “we want to stop having long, drawn out and expensive tribunals where the only people who benefit are the lawyers… the costs to the State from recent tribunals are appalling”.

A question by Fine Gael TD Derek Keating last week revealed that the cumulative cost of tribunals since 1987 up to the end of August 2011 was €315m. This did not, however, include further putative third party costs of up to half-a-billion euro.

Ironically, the most expensive of all of them, (the Mahon Tribunal, €96m), in common with the Smithwick Tribunal, has yet to file a final report.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent a senior source said: “Dail inquiries will end the spectacle where lawyers go into tribunals with the saddest of faces on behalf of their clients in the morning and leave with the fattest of cheques in the evening.”

Sources close to the Cabinet also dismissed the possibility of holding a private inquiry into the banks, behind closed doors, in a manner similar to the Murphy inquiry into the role of the Catholic church in child abuse.

They noted: “A lot of people are in real pain, and they have questions that have to be answered. It is essential these answers are done in public.

“Too many things have gone on behind closed doors for too long. The shutting of more doors will only add to public cynicism.”

This view was echoed by Mr Howlin, who said “any investigation will closely follow the precedent set by the Dirt inquiry”.

“During the election campaign, we said that we would shine a light on issues that people want addressed — this referendum, which will be put to the people on October 27, will allow that to happen,” he added.

- JOHN DRENNAN

Tribunal lawyers cost taxpayer over €250m

16 October 2011 By Kieron Wood

Sunday, 16 October 2011

Tribunal lawyers have cost the state more than quarter of a billion euro since 1987, according to new government figures.

Public expenditure minister Brendan Howlin, in a written response to Fine Gael TD Derek Keating last week, said that the cumulative cost of all tribunals from 1987 to the end of August 2011 was €315.8million.

Legal costs totalled €243.2 million, including €118.4 million in third party costs that had already been paid. Other third party legal costs ‘‘have yet to be presented and taxed’’, said Howlin.

The most expensive tribunal to date is the Mahon Tribunal into alleged planning corruption, set up in November 1997 and still continuing. It has already cost €96.2 million, of which more than €67 million is legal costs.

The Morris Tribunal, which ran from 2002 to 2008 under Mr Justice Frederick Morris, cost €59.1 million, of which €41.8 million went in lawyers’ fees.

The ongoing Moriarty Tribunal, set up in September 1997, has so far cost €42.7 million, including €37.7 million in state legal costs, plus a further €3.4 million paid by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources – almost all of it on legal representation. None of the third party legal costs has yet been paid, but they’re estimated at more than e 40 million.

Separately, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter last Wednesday published details of the Legal Services Regulation Bill which aims to ‘‘promote competition and transparency in the organisation and provision of legal services in the state, and in relation to legal costs’’.

It will establish the office of legal costs adjudicator to decide on disputes about legal fees.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Sunday Business Post Sunday, October 16, 2011

Press Release by Derek Keating T.D.
11th October 2011

Referendum on judges pay gives the citizens an opportunity to express their views says Keating the TD for Dublin Mid-west. However, Euro2 million expenditure may need to be cut. The cost outlined by Judge Mahon must be cut to reflect our economic crisis, you can always save money says Derek Keating, especially when it’s public money.

“I have raised consistently in the Dail, the media and in my constituency, the need for the judges of our country to play their part in our nation’s recovery. The out-dated percs and allowances associated with some judges, including tip staff, wigs, gowns, waist bands, travel expenses, short working hours and long holidays all need to be addressed by the State. Ireland is a Republic and we should banish these theatrical gowns and props, this garb out dated.

Ireland has been well served by its judges, however I am calling on the citizens to exercise their vote to empower the Government to address many of the problems that are faced in our public services, one of them being the court services.

This country was abandoned by the former Fianna Fail/Green Party administration when they created a crisis in our economy and on that famous night agreed to underwrite all the mistakes that they had made. In order for us to recover and to gain our financial independence again, this Government, of which I am proud to be a member, requires the endorsement of the citizens to support its measures in managing “all” the affairs of the State.

I have pursued relentlessly over the six months that I have been elected to Leinster House the small number of Senior Civil Servants who have been well paid and well pensioned, the C.E.O.s of our hospitals and health services who are well paid and well holidayed, I have raised the issue of judges’ pay and the extensive allowances and pensions that they receive.

I welcome the second Referendum on 27th October which is related to giving the Dáil more powers to conduct enquiries into matters of public interest and I welcome the media campaign that will be launched by the Referendum Commission to present the proposals to each citizen. I am calling on our teachers and our lecturers in third level education to provide time during the days running up to the Referendum to have discussions with students and pupils to inform them of the benefits of these two Constitutional Referenda.

In particular welcome former President Clinton’s remarks last week at the Conference in Dublin Castle when he said “The Irish have a lot to be proud of. The Irish are going in the right direction. The Irish are taking charge of their future again”.

Deputy Derek Keating has welcomed comments made by the Chairman of the Referendum Commission, Judge Brian Mahon, encouraging people to vote in both Referenda coming up in two weeks’ time on 27th October.