Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I move amendment No. 9:

In page 11, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following new subsection:

"(2) The Minister shall, as soon as may be after making any direction under this section, cause a copy of such direction to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.".

The amendment relates to the concept of openness and transparency and the way the Government does its business. If a future Minister was to give such a policy direction to the National Tourism Development Authority, it would certainly be in the public interest to know all about it. The amendment does not attempt in any way to restrict the Minister's power to do whatever he or she likes in this regard. All it would require is that he or she would be open about what was being done, which is the very least we could expect. We are talking about the National Tourism Development Authority, not the secret service. I cannot think of any good reason such a policy should continue to be kept under wraps. The amendment does not attempt in any way to restrict the Minister's power, it just seeks more openness and transparency.