Seanad debates
Thursday, 20 March 2003
Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages.
I wish to make four or five brief comments on this section. I concur with the remarks that were made in relation to the substitution of the word "shall" for the term "may". It rarely happened that Secretaries General used their discretion in relation to the release of records, but at least they had an option. The insertion of the word "shall" in this section, however, will make it absolutely imperative and will completely bring down the shutters. It shows a huge lack of faith in the senior officials who are in charge of Departments.
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