Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

It then refers to the non-application of the Freedom of Information Act 1997 and the Data Protection Act 1988 to certain records held or created by the director.

It is taking some 26 sections of the Bill to set up this authority. The Minister of State may be in a position where he is forced into this sort of stuff because of previous agreements but I strongly recommend that he go back to the social partners and tell them that if the Government tried to proceed with this, it would be the laughing stock of the country.

We will then tell people about all the red tape involved and who will pay the bills.

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