Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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206. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions No. 69 and 70 of 15 October 2013, if he will clarify if it is the position of his Department not to answer parliamentary questions in instances where freedom of information requests are being considered and or where confidentiality agreements have been signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44822/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's questions in their essence relate to the publication of a report entitled " Review of the overhead costs and indirect costs for the administration of the school transport scheme".

In my reply I correctly pointed out that the report in question was compiled in the context of a confidentiality agreement between the authors and Bus Éireann. Given this fact, and the fact that the report has been sought under the provision of the FOI legislation, it is both reasonable and appropriate that the issue of publication be considered and dealt with in that context.