John Ellis (Fianna Fail)

That is part of what I am getting round to. If one sets off on a political career with a base, one does not like to see it cut in pieces at the first available opportunity. While I know we will never get to the bottom of the decisions made, I believe they were made deliberately to get at certain individuals within the Dáil. I am not saying I was one of those because I was not a Member when the report was published, but I can see the claw marks of certain people and that is the sad aspect of the matter.

The Judiciary alone should be preparing constituency reports in that it is transparent in what it does. The clerks of the Dáil and Seanad are members of the existing commission, as is the Ombudsman. How could the Ombudsman decide whether I was entitled to obtain the commission's documentation? There was a total conflict of interest and this is part of what is wrong with the system and what must be dealt with. If we are to receive respect from the public in regard to what is happening, we must deal with the matter and become transparent.

Credit is due in that freedom of information applications are normally dealt with favourably, unless a matter is regarded as very sensitive by various Departments. That the most important decisions taken with regard to people's lives and representation are not available through freedom of information requests is unacceptable. Perhaps the Minister will tell us what we can do to redress the matter. Perhaps he will make an order, in the context of a new electoral amendment Bill, stipulating that all documentation will have to be made available. One must remember the submissions are available, as are the names of those who made them, yet the commission's recommendations are not. Perhaps the Minister will clarify this for me.