Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)

The cheque did not bounce but I thank Deputy Wallace for his help. At least, that particular cheque did not bounce. FÁS proceeded to make me go through the entire appeals procedure. Initially, the request was refused for extraordinary reasons that were difficult to understand. Eventually the information came out but we required a good deal of money, we had to be very persistent and we had to penetrate a well-trained bureaucratic barrier. All of these obstacles should be removed under this Bill to make it simple and cheap to apply for information. I suggest in the case of all Departments and semi-state agencies subject to the legislation it should not be someone from inside making the decisions. I am referring not to the appeals but to the initial decisions, because in all State agencies and almost all semi-state bodies, especially the monopolies, there is an utterly protective, surrounding layer of secrecy.

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