Results 2,101-2,120 of 2,156 for speaker:Tom Parlon

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: I have heard the Senator say nice things about me previously.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: That is not true.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: While listening to some of the thoughtful contributions, I was thinking of places where I spent previous Ash Wednesdays. This is an unusual venue in which to spend such a day.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: I hope that in the future we will remember this Ash Wednesday for more positive reasons. I refer here to developments in Northern Ireland. It is interesting that we are here at this early hour. I have no difficulty with being present and I found the debate stimulating. I thank Senators for their contributions. The debate reflects generally on the high esteem in which the Freedom of...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: I was moved by the personal expressions of interest and concern for the future of my party. Senator John Paul Phelan was concerned that we would become redundant. Many commentators said likewise before the election. We doubled our seats, which is not a bad performance for any party.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: The Senator's party would have been pleased with such a result.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: At this early hour, I will avoid any further political retorts.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: We all accept that when the FOI was introduced—

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: —it was regarded as radical and reforming and had the potential to make a significant contribution to the way public bodies conduct their business and how they relate to the public. By and large, the Act has achieved this. No Member has given credit to the fact that since the Act was passed, 67 bodies came under its remit but that number has expanded to almost 380. One of the first jobs I...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: —is intimately related to such discussions. The Government has also moved to protect the decision-making process of Government, which is vital. Like myself, a number of Members are new to the House and may not appreciate the sensitivities of Government decisions.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: I was not referring to the Senator.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: With all due respect, I listened to a lot of rubbish as well.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: The Senator repeated his comments a number of times when he was trying to goad somebody into making a response. I think he repeated his comments on four different occasions. There is a real concern that the freedom of information legislation has had a detrimental effect on the business of Government. Records are being created not only for the purpose of providing advice or an informed...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: The process of Government is being shackled by an unhealthy concentration on how information will be construed. Senator Ulick Burke quoted articles from a Sunday newspaper which were totally inaccurate and he put them on the record as if they were fact.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: It is a matter of public record where the money was spent . No amount of consultation would change the Government's considered view that additional but limited protections are necessary to protect the process of Government and it would be disingenuous to suggest otherwise.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: I will come to that. The high level group was set up by Government to advise in the light of experience of the operation of the Act to date and issues mainly relating to the operation of Government. The aim of the group was to strike the appropriate balance between maintaining the integrity of the Cabinet and the underlying deliberative process and ensuring appropriate level of openness and...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: It was not a secret process.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: It is part of the deliberative process and the report of the group has been published to assist the debate in the other House. I do not believe the Government needs to apologise for the way it has gone about its work.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: In regard to certification by Secretaries General, the question of whether a deliberative process has ended can be difficult. The Government has decided that more certainty is needed in this area so that records which relate to ongoing deliberations of Departments are not released into the public domain prematurely and in such a way as to undermine the process of Government. It would be...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Tom Parlon: This provision applies only to Departments which comprise only 15 public bodies of a total of almost 380 which are covered by the Freedom of Information Act.