Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Opposition Deputies have made some progress through the Ceann Comhairle recently on questions that were ruled out of order in the past or where it was said the Minister did not have a responsibility to the Dáil. We have an appeals mechanism now. In fairness to the Ceann Comhairle, he has been good in resubmitting questions on our behalf to the Department or the Minister who had refused them. Given the progress on that level, there is less opportunity to not be open. Once a Deputy can gain access, then all citizens should have access. The same should be true of Cabinet decisions. There is logic to having confidentiality around Cabinet decisions initially, but one year or ten years later in the main there is not a need for it to be a secret. How the decision was made would not affect anyone.

When requests come in for information that impinges on our work as Deputies, our gut instinct can be to consider them to be frivolous. However, in the main there is nothing to hide. Any organisation or structure that is paid for by the public purse should be open to as much scrutiny as possible without interfering in its day-to-day functions. As Mr. O’Brien indicated, it is meaningless to give out a document with seven pages retracted.

I have requested freedom of information on a number of occasions and every one of them was granted. Perhaps it was to do with the questions I asked.