Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The draft legislation was published well before the budget. The Deputy will recall that it was published in September and that it was accompanied by a statement inviting observations on the legislation. It was published as draft legislation subject to consultation. As such it was no cause of wonder that interested parties and their legal representatives or tax advisers contacted the Department of Finance. That is normal practice. I do not control the release of information under freedom of information requests. I read in the newspaper about the Kennedy Wilson letter. It would not have crossed my desk at the point of release because freedom of information is separate from the Minister. It is normal practice that information deemed to be commercially sensitive information that would injure third parties would be redacted. Having been a Minister for a number of years and been subject to freedom of information requests, Deputy Burton will be aware that such requests would not have come across her desk but would have been dealt with by the designated officers in her Department.

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