Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Fleming, there are no U-turns or rethink on policy. It is exactly the policy I set out, which is to have a comprehensive review of the disaster which the Deputy's party made of freedom of information in 2003. To repeat, I am very confident that the 2014 Act I introduced will stand the test of time, unlike the abomination the Deputy supported in 2003. The changes I am proposing today are the manifestation of democracy in action, in that nothing can be excluded without the explicit will of the Houses. That is the change for which I am seeking the endorsement of the House.

Deputy McDonald talked about the effective day being changed for a couple of organisations. The answer is "Yes", and that is for practical reasons. For the first time we are bringing the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal under the remit of freedom of information legislation in a comprehensive manner.

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