David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to comment on the Minster's response. I am glad that he sees the point of the argument that I am making but I wish he would go a little further. I would like him to explain to me the meaning of the word "private". If something is private it means immune to prying eyes. How can a private correspondence be made accessible to the 4 million citizens on this island? It is not private. Where does the notion of privacy go? Is there no room for privacy in Government? Is there no discretion allowed? I find this astonishing. I almost feel a vote coming on.

We should be tougher in confronting the pressures that push towards so much disclosure. If a communication is private, and is intended to be private, other means will be found for making that communication which will leave no trace. It seems an astonishing contradiction that we should allow general public access to communications that are deemed in the legislation to be private. What is the point in things being private if they are public? I do not understand it.