Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

It has been agreed with the shooting organisations that the general guidelines will be discussed with them and published. I do not accept the proposition that a confidential guideline cannot be issued on occasion, although that may surprise people.

Deputy Howlin referred to my attitude to the Freedom of Information Act 1997, but I remind him that before the introduction of amending legislation by this Government, it was the practice for Opposition spokesmen on finance to be able to go to the Department of Finance and have it cost their policies in confidence. The Information Commissioner of the day decided that the process should be subject to freedom of information accessibility. I always feel that the Opposition never zeroed in on that point in this House. It was a retrograde decision that flew in the face of common sense and had to be subject to statutory amendment.

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