Seanad debates
Thursday, 20 March 2003
Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages.
I have gone through the recommendations sent to the Department of Finance by the Information Commissioner. If they were sent after the Bill was published, it may have been too late to take them into consideration, which is why I have tried to reflect the recommendations in my amendments. In order to remove any confusion as to whether the right of access is confined to natural persons, it is suggested that the reference to "members of the public" be changed to "persons". That seems reasonable to the person who has experience in this area and it does not appear to be a great change. It is a technical amendment to tidy up the legislation rather than a matter of principle or a question of policy. Amendment No. 6 is related and seeks to provide that a person shall be construed as importing a body corporate, whether a corporation aggregate or a corporation sole, and an unincorporated body of persons as well as an individual. If I were put to the pin of my collar to argue in favour of the amendments beyond what I have just said, I could not, but they reflect the recommendations of the Information Commissioner. I would appreciate consideration of them by the Minister, given that they do not represent serious changes.
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