Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 4, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:

"(d) Section 2(2) of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following new paragraphs:

"(c) Nothing in this legislation will detract from the primacy of the judiciable obligation placed on government departments, state agencies and publicly funded bodies to be proactive in making information publicly available on the schemes and services they provide and on their decision-making processes as prescribed in the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003.

(d) Government departments, state agencies and publicly funded bodies may co-operate and liaise with the Board, the better to be proactive in making information publicly available on the schemes and services they provide and on their decision-making processes.".".

Given the debate we had on this issue on Committee Stage, and not having received information since then suggesting the position of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and his Department was likely to change, I am happy to withdraw amendment No. 3.

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