Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)

I will be quick because I have to go. This is for the Department. It is important to be able to map things. We are doing the land use planning. We are setting out all the major potential things that could impact on our environment. The Department of agriculture was recently ordered to release information to make it public that it has essentially been fighting the provision of any transparency in relation to certain matters. One instance relates to the number of herds of more than 500 animals. Apparently, there are 603 such herds. There was a request to provide the location of those very large herds and the Department fought that. The Commissioner for Environmental Information rejected the Department's claims and upheld the applicant's case. Why did the Department not wish to release that information? It was not personal information; it was not the names. These are large herds. I believe, and the commissioner believed, that because of the potential impact on emissions, water quality and environmental issues there was a right for people to know that information. Why did the Department fight that case? Will it be appealing it?