Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The record will show the Minister knew and understood that Irish Water should be included in the freedom of information legislation. Now, at the end of January we are including it. Evidently, the Senator does not know much about how government works if he thinks it is going to be forced to introduce such legislation because of a conversation on the radio. Irish Water was always going to be included in the freedom of information legislation and I support this motion.

Freedom of information is only one tool to get information as there are other methods such as parliamentary questions. All semi-State bodies must follow rules on corporate governance as set down by the Department of Finance. These will apply to Irish Water too. There has been much discussion about what Irish Water has been doing so far. People will now see the Government, which agreed in 2011 to put this body together, introducing openness and accountability to it.

I welcome the motion.