Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 21:

In page 50, line 11, after “member” where it firstly occurs to insert “of Dáil Éireann, Seanad Eireann, or”.

I am curious as to why the private papers of Members of the Oireachtas are not mentioned in the section. They were not mentioned in the original Bill. They are mentioned in the Constitution but the Constitution does not give carte blanchein terms of privilege for private papers. It says that the House may make Standing Orders on that point. Could this provision be inserted? This is very similar to the situation concerning the President. This is not about exempting Members of the Oireachtas from the kind of freedom of information requests that have been submitted over the years. It is about the matters Senator Norris spoke about, concerning our diaries or e-mails with constituents and whether they should be private.