John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will finish my response. Deputy Donohoe asked whether I have been notified that other freedom of information requests have been submitted to the Department in respect of me. The answer is "No" and nor was I ever notified that FOI requests had been submitted about me. I want the Deputy to understand that. He stated one would not have to go to a third party to obtain a copy of the freedom of information request. I did have to ask a third party. When the initial information was released at the end of April, I obtained that information through a third party. I did not think I could ask the freedom of information officer for a copy of the information and as I did not want to intervene in that way, I asked somebody else in the House to check the matter for me.