Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

My point to the Minister is that the rule should be that nobody is exempted. The rule should be that the information is given. The burden should be shifted in favour of the citizen and away from exemptions and the whole series of categories of exemptions, whether for semi-state agencies or categories under which other bodies can block the citizen. The entity, whatever it is, should have to make a case for not providing information in exceptional circumstances. I do not think there are that many concrete instances of such information being so sensitive. That is my point. It is a catch-all argument, a label or category without much substance behind it, but it is used by these entities to shield themselves from proper scrutiny and transparency. I am not denying there are cases or instances but I do not agree with the idea that these are so widespread or all-pervasive that all the commercial semi-state enterprises should be excluded. I do not see the justification. There might be particular instances, but why, as a rule, should they be exempted, given that we fully own them?