Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Members of the House for their focus on this landmark legislation. Freedom of information is one of the suite of measures that will be transformative of the way we conduct public affairs and, I hope, rebuild a broken trust with the general public. Senators have different opinions on how freedom of information impacts, with some more jaundiced than others. Given international best practice in the assessment of the transparency of public institutions, however, a robust freedom of information enactment is regarded as an important part of an open, democratic and functioning modern society.

I thank Senators for their useful and helpful contributions throughout the passage of this Bill and I look forward to its inclusion in the Statute Book as soon as the President does his constitutional duty in that regard.