Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

These relate specifically to my Department. Generally speaking, there has been a considerable extension of the freedom of information legislation to a range of bodies. I am aware of the annual reports of the Information Commissioner and the views expressed, but this Administration has ensured a significant increase in the range of bodies which now come within the freedom of information ambit. From the perspective of how this has developed over the years, it has been about taking on more work and more bodies rather than the contrary. In 2006, there was the biggest ever extension of the Freedom of Information Act when a further 137 bodies were included. This means that over 520 bodies are now covered by freedom of information legislation compared to 67 when the Act first came into operation in 1998. That indicates that there are far more in than not.

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