David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 8, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:“(5) The Office shall be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2014 as a public body.”.

This amendment is to make sure that the office which is being established under this Bill is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2014. It may well be already, but this serves to make it explicit in the actual Bill that that is the case. It is important there is full transparency and accountability for an office that would have an oversight role for tens of millions of euros of procurement funding, namely, taxpayer's money. It is erring on the side of caution by ensuring that it is explicitly referenced in the Bill that the office shall be subject to the Freedom of Information Act as a public body. The word "shall" is very important.