Seanad debates
Tuesday, 4 March 2003
Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed).
I suspect this comes down, in part, to the personality of the Minister, Deputy McCreevy, because he does not have a difficulty with people knowing that certain things were entirely his idea. He does not have a problem with people knowing he has ignored the advice of officials. He does not have a problem with people knowing that officials from different Departments took different views. While I disagree with the Minister on many issues, he is correct in this instance. People have got used to that fact. Those of us in Opposition, who might have attempted initially to score a few political points on the basis of that disagreement, have long since stopped trying to do so because it does not wash. The public have become used to it and regard it, quite rightly, as simply a healthy expression of difference.
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