Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The Chair and I have served together here for some time. I am speaking at length on section 1 because I am trying to prevent a travesty of the democratic process, which is what is taking place. The Chair has plenty of common sense and I appeal to him to recognise that what we are doing is wrong. The most central person in this matter, the person who is effectively the fulcrum of this legislation, has produced a report which deals with and passes judgment on every amendment – he says of one that it would have the effect of pulling back on information which is accessible at present. At another stage in the report he states: " . had the Secretary General been in a position to certify that the records related to an ongoing deliberative process I would not have been in a position to review the matter." He shows time and again that there are issues involved here which concern him greatly.

I can go through every one of these issues – I am sure we will do so – but I am trying to convince the Chair that in this document—