Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The more significant difficulty is not the revelation of discussions but rather the documentation and the paper trail. Let us imagine a sequence of events in whatever scenario is being pieced together. One will be trying to get under the skin of what happened and why. That will be hugely problematic. The legislation represents a vigorous assertion of confidentiality, particularly when one reads section 68, which provides that a committee shall not direct a person to give evidence or a document relating to discussions at a meeting of the Government or a committee appointed by Government. It is very restrictive.

It says the committee shall not direct a person to give evidence or a document. It then goes on to talk of discussions at a meeting of the Government or a committee appointed by Government. It is very restricted.