Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am a strong advocate of freedom of information. I spent a long time in opposition tabling parliamentary questions, but the amount of information one gets is minimal. It is important in a country which, historically, has been a place of strokes. Having said that, I am conscious of the fact that one man's stroke can be another man's doing good for the people he represents. In the main, there seems to be a strong suspicion by journalists of the establishment - for want of a better word - in their dealings with it.

To play devil's advocate, I will take up the point mentioned by Mr. Dooley. Perhaps one of the reasons that bodies or Departments are slow to give out information is not about providing information per se, but because they are concerned about the manner in which that information will be presented. Would the witnesses have any view on that? It might be outside the remit of an individual journalist who puts in an FOI request but, speaking from my own experience, when I see FOI material that comes in with regard to politicians, I would like to think that I do not do any wrong. However, when I see a request coming in, one may ask how will this be presented and how will it impact upon me. Invariably, when a request comes in and is presented in the newspaper, we see a follow-up the next day.