Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I accept that there is a normal process leading to legislative change. However, if the Cabinet has agreed the principles of that legislative change, I cannot see any reason what the Cabinet agreed should not be laid out for public consideration at this stage. I know that the drafting process involves putting together heads of a Bill and then pre-legislative scrutiny in the ordinary course of events, and then consideration in detail by the Houses. However, I cannot see any reason if decisions in principle have been made by the Cabinet they should not all be put out there for the public to consider, especially when the Defence Forces are coming under such scrutiny at the moment and are in a crisis as regards the falling numbers in the Defence Forces and the undermanning of the structure of the Defence Forces due to the shortage of personnel. It would inspire public confidence if there was transparency on this issue and if everything that the Cabinet agreed about the Defence Forces was set out in public, at least at the level of principle. I do not see any reason it should be secret to members of Government and not available to members of the public.