The Taoiseach said in regard to volunteerism that there is a need to create a participatory democracy where active citizenship is the norm. The core principle of the White Paper was openness, accountability and transparency in order to provide access to information and to share it where it is relevant to the pursuit of common objectives. In the legislation before us the Government is doing the reverse – it is curtailing citizens' rights to access information. It is curtailing the right of the voluntary and community sector to information.