Sir, – One would imagine that in the wake of the many recent scandals concerning the leaking of sensitive personal information that have broken this year (WikiLeaks, NSA surveillance, financial, etc) there would now, more than ever, be a massive clamour for more openness and transparency.
It is, at the very least, surprising that the Freedom of Information Bill 2013, Schedule 1, Part 1 (pp 72 -75) lists 23 “partially included agencies”, and Schedule 1, Part 2 (pp 75 -76) lists no fewer than 38 “exempt agencies” – mainly State and semi-State bodies (including An Post, Bord Gais, CIÉ, Coillte, Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, ESB, Irish Aviation Authority, National Oil Reserves Agency, Irish Water, Waterways Ireland, VHI, the various airport authorities and port companies).
These bodies receive substantial State funding, which derives from taxpayers’ money, and provide services to the public. Why are we, thus, not privy to freedom of information from these bodies?
Can this be something for this Government, which has championed a return to transparency, to be proud of? – Yours, etc,
MARTIN KRASA,
Sunday’s Well Road,
Cork.