Derek McDowell (Labour)

Speaking specifically to the amendments, as other Senators have pointed out, they were actually included in the commissioner's report and in his recommendations to the Department of Finance some months ago. A specific point arose on Committee Stage last week when the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Michael Ahern, conceded that there could be confusion during the course of the process of a request as to who had made the request or the ownership of any information that might come about as a result of the request. The possibility was raised that a newspaper such as the Irish Independent or The Sunday Tribune might make a particular request but because they are corporations, they do not appear to have any status in regard to the Act as it currently stands. In order to remove any confusion that might arise, the commissioner suggested that corporations be included in the definition of persons in the legislation. This is the normal practice in regard to legislation, specifically in regard to the Interpretation Act.