Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995
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Declarations of interest by members in Oireachtas proceedings. |
7.—(1) This section applies to proceedings in each House, a committee of either House or a joint committee of both Houses. | |
(2) A member who proposes to speak or vote in proceedings to which this section applies and who has actual knowledge that he or she or a connected person has a material interest in the subject matter of the proceedings shall— | ||
(a) if he or she proposes to speak in the proceedings, make a declaration of the fact aforesaid in the proceedings before or during his or her speech, and | ||
(b) if he or she proposes to vote, but does not speak, in the proceedings, make the declaration aforesaid in writing and furnish it before voting to the Clerk, or the clerk to the committee, concerned, as may be appropriate. | ||
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), a person (being a member or a connected person) has a material interest in the subject matter of proceedings if the consequence or effect of any decision by the House or the committee or joint committee concerned, or by the Government or an office holder, concerning that matter may be to confer on or withhold from the person a significant benefit without also conferring it on or withholding it from persons in general or a class of persons which is of significant size having regard to all the circumstances and of which the person is a member. | ||
(4) Subsection (2) does not apply to an interest of a member that is included in a statement which or a copy of which has been laid before the House under section 6 . | ||
(5) A declaration under subsection (2) shall— | ||
(a) in case an official report of the proceedings concerned is published, be included in the report, and | ||
(b) in case such a report is not published, be published in such manner as the Clerk, or the clerk to the committee, concerned may direct. |