Derek McDowell (Labour)

I second the amendment, which deals with two issues that merit discussion. The first of these is the issue of costing proposals made by political parties. I do not doubt that the Minister had me in mind when drafting this section and wanted to offer some protection. I will politely decline that protection. I am not living in trepidation about anything that may be disclosed in the coming weeks and months regarding information that I or the Labour Party may have requested from his Department prior to last year's election.

The second issue is more substantial. It concerns the practice that has grown among Opposition parties of requiring the disclosure of back-up information relating to parliamentary questions. It is a pity that the Minister is putting this section into the Bill. I have found it interesting and educational to obtain such back-up information. We all know that Departments will only prepare back-up information for questions that are likely to be reached. It is nonetheless useful when a particular question is not reached and the full range of available information can be obtained. This places a good deal more information into the public arena that might otherwise be the case.

I cannot recall an example where information of this sort has been used to the disadvantage or embarrassment of a Minister. It is argued that civil servants would be constrained in what they put on paper in follow-up questions. What the Information Commissioner, and the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, Mr. Dermot McCarthy, told the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service is interesting. Both stated that they believe there had been no degradation of records and that the quality of advice put on paper by civil servants had not diminished as a result of the provisions of the Act.

I appreciate that the Minister is anxious to leave for Brussels.