Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo what Senator Boylan said. The whole thing about access to information in environmental matters is critical. As we debate, I cannot stop thinking about what a disadvantage we are at by not having the information about the public consultation. We have been seeking it during the a week but we cannot get it. I do not know how much it has influenced this legislation, but I will know and I will be delighted to remind the Minister of State when I get that information. Neither the Minister of State nor her Department have seen fit to provide it despite all these excuses about giving. This is about the information and the amendment. It is about the importance of this information. I do not know what investors put pressure on the Minister of State or the Department in respect of this legislation. I simply do not know and cannot speculate. I am not privy to what has been said. However, the Minister of State told us on Second State that she was mindful of the submissions. I am conscious of what was happening in Johnstown Castle on Friday night. I am conscious of several things from several people in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I do not tend to ask questions to which I do not already know the answers.

I am simply making the point about the importance of information. People may take litigation. We are here as parliamentarians and we do not have information. I hope the robust Deputies in the Dáil will have it next week. I am renewing my appeal to the Minister of State to give an undertaking to send me and other Oireachtas Members an index of those submissions. I understand the burden that is on the Minister of State with the work in her Department, and I accept that. I appeal to her to make available to us the index of the submissions so that we can make contact directly with those pillars and agencies to see what information they sent to the Department. I am convinced that we have not heard it all yet.