Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

I understand that it is possible to submit FOI and general data protection regulation, GDPR, requests verbally under the legislation. Can the Minister explain that process to me? Can the Minister explain to me where the line is drawn between professional and private records from a ministerial perspective under the FOI legislation? For example, could I ask the Minister for copies of emails, texts and WhatsApp messages relating to his non-disclosure of a donation that was made to him by Michael Stone and the communications he has had with the Taoiseach on this issue under the Freedom of Information Act 2014? The Minister might discuss that. I ask him also to consider this to be a verbal FOI request to him and his Department on all of that information.

Freedom of information is a tool of transparency that is used to make sure politicians do their jobs according to their citizens' needs and not according to the needs of big business etc. We have a history in this country of business buying influence in terms of politicians and we need to make sure we have a transparent system so that does not happen again.

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