Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I share the Minister's views as to the great importance of this legislation. My question follows remarks he made today around transformation, renewal and all the rest of it, in the public service. I suggest he reads an article in The Irish Times today by Simon Carswell who tells a very interesting story of a particular freedom of information request submitted by him to both the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Finance, in respect of the Personal Insolvency Bill and any lobbying that may have taken place between third parties and those Departments. He got short shrift.

In amending the legislation we must be mindful that government does not hide from disclosure behind technicalities. The challenge, as seen by some within the Civil Service, is to evade answering any questions and being very awkward in terms of how they "re-understand" a question and answer it. The FOI legislation is incredibly valuable but is only so if the system has undergone the kind of cultural change the Minister tells us he champions in order to ensure that the people concerned understand transparency, give the answers and let the information flow.

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