Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

To go back to the report that has not been published, as an elected Member of the Oireachtas, I find it offensive that reports are withheld from Members. If elected members have a problem with respect to the confidentiality of a report, we should have sanctions in place to deal with people who leak reports. That is my view.

For oversight to take place, every rationale that is provided to influence this legislation, for example, and the reports that feed into that rationale should be made available to this committee. The committee should be bound by whatever oath is required to keep silent on it. At the end of the day, we cannot have oversight unless we see reports and have the opportunity to question what is in them. We should be able to do that in private session as well. I understand the sensitivity. I also understand that some people remark openly that this place leaks like a sieve. Even the Cabinet is being accused of leaking like a sieve. That is very dangerous for our democracy. Does the Minister agree with that? We really need to find a way to deal with our issues in private.