Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, in all that it does, is obliged to publish and consult. From my recollection, it has always published on the Internet. Equally, my Department, of all Departments, is the one that puts decisions made on many issues on our website for public consultation. We have discussed this issue in reference to previous legislation and I understand the Senator's position, but I do not want to be overly prescriptive. It is good practice that all documents, such as those pertaining to new schemes, be published on websites immediately but dilution of the practice of dealing with them in the Houses of the Oireachtas and publishing them in Iris Oifigiúil is not desirable.

We often complain about the broadcasters being interested only in the sexy news, such as the fact that we may have taken a week off, but they do not publish or give due regard to the day-to-day work done in the Houses. I hazard a guess that there will be some reference to this debate in the media tomorrow because it is about broadcasting and the broadcasters' own sector but, time and again, we discuss very important Bills in both Houses and not a line is published about us. I am first to favour of publication on the Internet. Certain statutory organisations are trying to prevent me from trying to publish too much information on our website, which I rail against, and I fear that if we legislate for the Senator's proposal and have a blanket requirement to immediately publish information on a website, it will cause difficulties in the system that we might not appreciate today. It might be a good idea in a general way but, in respect of specific issues, it could cause difficulties.