Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

And will be again. I need hardly say to the Minister that it seems every other day we pass legislation which makes us less relevant as a body. More parliamentary questions are being disallowed by the Ceann Comhairle because the Minister is not responsible for this, that or the other. We have seen this occur with the National Roads Authority and a myriad other bodies and, most recently, with the Health Service Executive, in respect of which we cannot find out what is going on in the health service. This is yet another body where it will be impossible for elected Members of this House to get information. Perhaps a caveat similar to that in amendment No. 14 needs to be included in amendment No. 17. I certainly would be happy to insert it on Report Stage. It would be similar to the wording used in amendment No. 14, stating "provided that such information would not, in the opinion of the Commission, be prejudicial to the performance of its functions". I can understand some information could be sensitive but the vast percentage of the information sought by Members is not sensitive in the sense that it would not impinge on anybody's privacy. That caveat might be included. It makes no sense to keep legislating to make ourselves irrelevant. I ask the Minister to reconsider.

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