Ms Emily O'Reilly:

Perhaps it is because, with regard to certain health matters, I am not being lobbied. There are other interests at play, I presume. Members of the medical profession, dentists and pharmaceutical companies all have interests, as is their right. Perhaps they have certain views and have been able to convince the Department that certain harms would arise. I know I sound a bit like a broken record at this point but there are sufficient protections within the Freedom of Information Act to prevent all of those harms. It is the role of all of us, including the Department, the committee and the Office of the Information Commissioner, to look fixedly at the public interest and make our decisions accordingly. That is not to say that people do not have an absolute right to voice their concerns. Professional bodies may bring a certain level of expertise and awareness to bear. Equally, that awareness and expertise can be brought to bear where a decision has to be made on the release of a particular record.