Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

It is interesting to note how much Civil Service time, energy and resources have been invested in the communications unit, yet freedom of information legislation has been amended to frustrate the accessing of information that may otherwise be — and should be — available. Is there not merit in the opinion that this is less of a communications unit and more of a propaganda unit which is doing the business of Government, instead of providing an objective service available to all sides of the House and the Oireachtas in general?

From a legal point of view I would argue that there is an obligation on the communications unit to be available more widely than just to the Government and to the people working on its behalf who were mentioned by the Taoiseach. Has the Taoiseach had any discussions with the Attorney General on this issue and does a case have to be answered on the availability of information from the communications unit?

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