I wish to address the lack of consultation prior to the Bill's publication. The Information Commissioner, the NUJ and the voluntary and community organisations throughout the country were not consulted. Nobody was consulted and it was left to the senior civil servants involved to look into their hearts to decide what was best for them and the Government, and not what was best for the citizens who yearn for openness and accountable Government. I have the utmost respect for civil servants but I am unhappy that such radical change to our laws should be made purely on the basis of consultation between a number of senior public servants and their respective Ministers. It is necessary at all times to undertake a wider consultation process before any legislation is debated by the Oireachtas.