Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

It is an interesting point worth discussing. In the past, we have had the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum which have comprised civil servants and nominees. In practice, the likelihood of an agreed report emerging which is totally objectionable to the Government is very slight. If it is creative, it may go beyond Government policy. It may be beginning to push out the boat. A number of speakers have recalled, for example, that the NESC report of autumn 1986 set out a type of blueprint for what subsequently became the Programme for National Recovery. A great deal depends on the word "confidential". People who are involved in the forum may have other roles and some information may come to their attention which they did not know but which may not be confidential, that may be from the CSO or hidden in some report, and presumably it is possible to use that.

It is not especially helpful on many occasions to have reports leaked in advance. I do not think there is any precedent whereby reports by the NESC or the NESF have been sat on and not published. It is certainly the case sometimes that consultancy reports to Ministers which have come up with findings that are not acceptable or palatable have not always been published. Sometimes they also contain confidential commercial information. The fears expressed by Senator Ryan do not really apply to this body, as composed, and given the track record of its predecessors.