Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Information should be open and transparent. Protectionism and the syndrome of keeping information are not understandable. While I may be in a political minority, we should be frank with people, give them information and move away from the Sir Humphrey and "Yes, Minister" syndrome or telling people a small amount, taking it back and confusing them.

Democracy, which is about people, participation and sharing information, would be enhanced by the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill. The Minister of State noted that 520 bodies now come under the umbrella of the Freedom of Information Act, which I welcome, but usage decreased by 19% in 2006. The freedom of information report referred to the education redress board in that regard.

I am pleased that 77% of requests were made by members of the public, along with 10% by journalists, 1% by politicians and 7% by business people. I am curious, however, as to why politicians have to put down freedom of information requests at all given that information should be available to them as a matter of course, regardless of how trivial it may be. I hope journalists will desist from using freedom of information requests as an easier option to investigative reporting.

On one of his first days as Taoiseach, John Bruton made a simple remark about the need for openness and transparency which still stands.