Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ms O'Reilly has touched on another good point. As a Deputy I have experience of seeking information from various bodies.

The Committee of Public Accounts requests information from bodies which it is investigating and it may only receive a certain amount of the requested information. However, a journalist making an FOI request will be given more information. There is an anomaly. It seems that public officials have greater protection in issuing information under an FOI request. Various officials in different Departments have advised me to encourage my client to submit a request under FOI and they will release the information. It seems they need the legal mechanism of an FOI request.