Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

I fully agree on Iris Oifigiúil as a document not in widespread circulation. I have never set eyes on it. However, it is looked upon as a kind of bible – beautiful in terms of knowledge of what is happening, what decisions have been taken and who is responsible for what. Are we to abandon it? I take the point that nowadays we have websites and telephones and that one can look at a local authority handbook or find out at health board level who is responsible for something. However, from the point of view of the original intention of the 1997 Act, what is wrong with publication in Iris Oifigiúil? People may not have ready access to it but what would be lost by doing this? While I mentioned that as a Member of this House I have never seen a copy, I cannot see any reason for not doing this.