Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

That is hugely important. All of us who have criticised the refugee and asylum system for many years are very pleased to see these bodies being included for the first time. I accept the practical reason given by the Minister for saying the effective date is 14 October 2014 for the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, but it is also important to note, as the Minister told the committee yesterday, that where records were created before that date including personal information on a person seeking access to them, the effective date does not apply and the person concerned is entitled to access such records back to whatever date they were created. It is important to highlight this to reassure people that in a sense it is not a blanket date and is not a random. It is the date on which the legislation came into effect. I am entirely satisfied that, in the context of the sweeping and very positive reform of freedom of information legislation, the two orders are sensible and practical and I am happy to support them.