Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleagues, na Teachtaí Mairéad Farrell and Sorca Clarke, on bringing forward this Bill. The Bill has been developed in close consultation with some of the State's top investigative journalists and transparency campaigners. It will address many of the shortcomings of the current FOI regime, some of which were brought into sharp focus by the events of "Zapponegate" last year. Ministers deleting official Government correspondence, which is subject to FOI, substantiated our concerns. That affair showed us that there is a lack of accountability for those failing in their obligations under the Act. Some public bodies are only partially included under the scope of FOI and they need to be brought under it more fully. Other bodies in receipt of public money are exempt entirely. Some information that was at one time available through FOI can no longer be accessed. This Bill will address each of these issues and more.

I was very disappointed to learn yesterday that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is to defer the Bill for at least nine months. Anyone who has had to submit an FOI request will know that the system requires major reform. I ask that the Minister change his mind on this. He has launched a review of the Act but that is a waste of time and resources. The problems are well-documented and this Bill offers a solution to them.

We recently saw the need for reform in Kildare when the county council was faced with the prospect of having to bring the Department of Defence to court. The Department refused to co-operate with an investigation into dumping on a massive scale next door to a very scenic spot on the Curragh, beside Donnelly's Hollow. In what appears to be an attempt to avoid scrutiny and transparency, the Department finally agreed to mediation, which cost the State almost €20,000, and it appears that some sort of non-disclosure agreement has been signed to hide the details of what happened. We do not know if there will be consequences for anyone or what will stop this happening again. It is an absolute disgrace and I will not rest until we have accountability in County Kildare.

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