Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is in the same vein. It is not something about which I am terribly concerned, but I would like an explanation. It relates to section 16(1)(c) which states there is a deferral on the basis that the record concerned is held by a Department of State where the record or part thereof or any matter to which it relates is of such interest to the public generally that he or she intends to inform either or both Houses of the Oireachtas of the contents of the record or part thereof.

It seems convenient to a given Minister of State. I am slightly nervous about this because it gives a Minister or a Minister of State a get-out clause. If a brilliant FOI request finds something, the Minister can get out ahead of it. It is quite loose: "the record or part thereof or any matter to which it relates". It allows the Minister to go into the Seanad, say something vaguely related to one part of the record and then it can be deferred. It seems handy.