Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I welcome our witnesses and thank them for their submissions. I hope that between us we can improve the legislation. We have all dealt with situations involving unfair treatment, bullying and-or sexual harassment, whatever the case maybe, within the workplace and outside it. The speed with which an issue can be dealt with is important. Are the witnesses satisfied that a review will deal with an issue in such a way as to ensure that it will be possible to have a rapid appraisal of a situation to allow for the content of disclosures or complaints to brought to the appropriate authorities with a view to resolution? Would the witnesses like to hear all my questions at once? I think taking one at a time might be easier.

I will add to that last question that we have all dealt with issues involving almost every profession, including the legal and education professions and academia. Every facet of life has brought to our attention various forms of discrimination within the workplace and between workplaces as well over the years. My point in this regard is that a parliamentary question posed by a Deputy will sometimes draw out the information. However, we have come to rely more on the freedom of information legislation and access through that route. In recent years, there has been a tendency in that regard for there to be a reluctance to give the information by way of reply to a parliamentary question and to rely on other avenues instead, such as that provided for by the Freedom of Information Act 2014. That undermines the authority of Parliament, however. Undermining the authority of Parliament, in whatever way, is not a good thing. I am trying to broaden the nature of my question by coming at it from that perspective. Any of our guests can answer.