Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The former Secretary General of the Department of Health and Children recently appeared before the Oireachtas committee to speak in respect of the Freedom of Information Act. He said that unreserved acceptance at political level of the findings, for instance, of the Travers report, would result in great relief for public servants who often found themselves torn between their public service obligations and their professional need to maintain a constructive working relationship at political level.

Is the Taoiseach happy that the Freedom of Information Act operates in his Department on the sole basis of the legislation and that considerations of political manoeuvrability do not arise? Does he accept that the amending legislation with regard to the Act, as pioneered by the Government, was solely designed to facilitate such political movement and to spare the embarrassment of whichever Minister might be under the spotlight?

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