Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the programme for Government, the Government promised to restore the Freedom of Information Act.

It said it would extend the remit of freedom of information "to other public bodies including the administrative side of the Garda Síochána [and] all bodies significantly funded from the public purse". The Bill that is currently being considered on Committee Stage does not extend the remit of the freedom of information regime to include the Garda, nor does it include the National Treasury Management Agency, the National Asset Management Agency or the newly formed Irish Water company. Instead, it increases the fees so that it will cost more to get information from the limited areas covered by freedom of information. I am reminded of what the Tánaiste's colleague, the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, said about freedom of information when he was in opposition. He stated:

Freedom of information is not a service, it is a civil and political right. It is a democratic instrument through which citizens exercise their right to hold the Government to account. Charging an up-front fee for freedom of information requests is like charging an up-front fee to vote in a general election.

The Government seems to be ignoring what the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, said. It is breaking yet another promise it made to the people. I ask the Tánaiste to resile from that position, to rectify the situation by including in this system the agencies of State that are benefitting from the public purse and to ensure prohibitive costs are not applied.

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