Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2012: Discussion

10:25 am

Mr. Ken Foxe:

Deputy Mathews is right and unfortunately the processes he raised regarding when NAMA was included in the legislation and all the documents in that respect will remain exempt on either confidentiality grounds, or on the basis of there being ongoing negotiations and so on politicians often mention, namely, the fact that freedom of information legislation is frequently used to target politicians' expenses, their overseas travel and so on. The reason for that is that is the type of material that is easily obtainable under such legislation. None of the letters, documents and negotiations regarding the troika, the bank guarantee and so on is available.