Seanad debates
Thursday, 20 March 2003
Order of Business.
There are no Government amendments to today's business. I note what was said by my two colleagues about the decision of the Oireachtas committee, which I also welcome. The Opposition in this House is willing to accommodate the Government on the issue of Cabinet papers, in respect of which there is an 18 April deadline. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that all Stages of No. 3, the Labour Party's Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, be taken before No. 1. We would agree to the removal from it of all clauses except the one which provides for non-disclosure of Cabinet papers for six years, which would give us 12 months in which to look at these issues. It would leave the Government's position on Cabinet papers untouched and enable us to move on and have a dispassionate discussion about the practicalities of freedom of information, which is what we need. We must reflect what is now the broad consensus of all parties in both Houses of the Oireachtas. Let us deal with the Government's immediate concern, with which I do not agree, but we are prepared to be reasonable. Let us extend the period to six years and allow the calm, dispassionate investigation which began at the joint committee to continue.
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