Mr. John O'Donoghue:

It is very evident listening to everybody else that we are all experiencing the same issues and a feeling of disconnect from the decision-making process. I thank the Oireachtas Members for their time. The responses have been excellent but, as they alluded to, those responses are only as good as the response they make to them. I realise there is also an onus on us. If the report sits on a shelf, as has been mentioned, this will have been a complete exercise in futility.

The whole situation around abuse of people in public service has come up, as well as the disconnect between public representatives and the decision-making process, be that a council executive or, as is sometimes the case, the Houses of the Oireachtas. There is a vacuum and I think it was Aristotle who said nature abhors a vacuum. If there is a space, something will rush in to fill that vacuum. When I think of some of the more contentious issues that have been raging over the last couple of months, there has been an awful lot of misinformation and disinformation out there around a wide range of topics. I am not referring to anything specifically. In the absence of true information, this gives people online free rein and a space to say what they like. I am aware of cases where stuff has been said about public representatives who then had to figure out how to respond because they have been so blindsided.

We feel a disconnect with the decision-making process and from the Oireachtas, to be quite honest, and we are often not told about things until after they happen. This is a huge problem. That would help with some of the abuse that takes place online and some of the idle and untrue chatter that can take place. It is important that the committee takes that point back as well. I thank the committee and Cathaoirleach for their time.