Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

A balance must be struck in this area. I agree that this is not an easy subject. The provision in the Bill is the same as the provision which applies to other State organisations when they are established. There is nothing unusual in the provision. It is standard and applies to the boards of semi-State organisations. Given that the object of the executive is to promote and protect the health and welfare of the public, the executive, in defining what constitutes confidential information, has an obligation to ensure that the operation of the section does not conflict with the health and welfare of the public.