Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Sometimes freedom of information requests fall within the ambit of a Government decision, that is, between two Departments. In such cases, does the Taoiseach not accept that his Department has a role to sort the competences as one would expect in regard to a Cabinet matter? It is best if I give an example in regard to the Constitution and the Minister for Education and Science. Every child is entitled to attend school, but the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has argued that if people have student visas, their children cannot attend school. Members of the immigration bureau visited school children in their classes and told them they should be removed and that if they cannot attend private education, they could be deported with their parents. I asked a parliamentary question on that matter and I accept it was sent to the Departments of Education and Science and Justice, Equality and Law Reform. We will leave the contradiction aside, but in such a case, the issue is getting information.

Is the Taoiseach concerned that many of the quangos that have come into existence have made themselves immune to freedom of information requests? This is not about costs but about ordinary citizens submitting requests on policy matters. The process is long and unwieldy.

The Minister for Transport will be aware of issues concerning CIE. It is impossible to elicit from CIE how it decided to sell its property rather than seek money from capital funds for the national development plan. I presume the Taoiseach is interested in the national development plan. Citizens are interested in how CIE decided to sell off its sites to provide money for public transport. The Minister for Transport will answer my letters but how do I get an answer from a body such as CIE that will not answer me? It will answer if the Department of Transport writes to it.

There is a string of quangos to which power has leaked from Parliament. This is a matter for the Taoiseach and the Government. I am very amenable to co-operating in this regard, but I repeat something I said earlier in this session, that is, Parliament is constantly leaking its powers and responsibilities to unaccountable bodies that are not covered by the Freedom of Information Act.

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