Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Indeed. We need to protect, expand and develop public enterprises, which is what I prefer to call them. To my mind, even the language "commercial semi-State" and the Minister's concept of what these bodies entail are deeply problematic. I am not quite sure about from where the term "commercial semi-State" came. They are bodies that are 100% owned by the public. They are public bodies that maintain vital public infrastructure and provide vital public services. Therefore, the public has the right to information on their functioning.

I have two points to make on the idea that, since they are involved in a market, they would be disadvantaged in respect of their creditors. First, their competitors should be subject to FOI legislation also if these are important areas. That would level the playing field in a better direction, in that there would be full transparency for everyone, public and private.