Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. We are all together on the need for transparency. We all agree that transparency ensures accountability and public trust. We try to strike a balance here. The team has carried out extensive consultations with the Office of the Attorney General in developing the Bill to get the balance correct between transparency and fairness, and the need to protect sensitive information. We believe the provisions in the Bill have reached a delicate balance between the public interest and the protection of sensitive information. My concern with the Deputy's amendment is that it will tilt the balance too far the other way. It may not assist in building confidence in the Bill. The Bill more or less replicates the Screening of Third Country Transactions Bill 2022, which has passed Committee Stage. The Deputy proposes to remove commercially sensitive information, personal data and information, the disclosure of which would create a risk to the security of the public order of the State. It is finely balanced. We have worked hard with the Attorney General to get the appropriate balance so, unfortunately, I cannot accept the amendment.