Brendan Ryan (Labour)

Again, I hope these strategic plans include a requirement for continuous monitoring and for the publication of the results of such monitoring so people do not have to submit freedom of information requests to obtain it. I heard a true story about Dublin County Council a few years ago in regard to a request for emissions data supplied to it by a successful pharmaceutical plant in the Dublin area which was denied on the basis that the information sought was commercially sensitive. The same data was on public display at the entrance to the pharmaceutical plant and the company was furious that a row had erupted in respect of the release of information it wished to make public. We must ensure this type of data is put into the public domain if we are to close the loop.