asked the Minister for the Public Service if he has considered the comments made by the Chairman of the Association of Higher Civil Servants, Mr. James O'Brien, at the Association's recent Annual Delegate Conference, suggesting the introduction of a Public Information Act to dispel much of the unnecessary secrecy surrounding the work of the Civil Service; if the Government have any plans to introduce such legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Introduction of Freedom of Information Act.
1.
I have had the general subject of wider public access to information held by public bodies under consideration for some time. Legislation to govern such access could impinge on the Official Secrets Act and would require prior consultation with all the authorities concerned.
The Deputy will be aware that the Joint Committee on Legislation has recently decided to consider the necessity for a Freedom of Information Act and has invited submissions from interested persons or organisations.
I am aware that the Joint Committee on Legislation are considering this question. I am asking the Minister what is his attitude to a Freedom of Information Act? Does the Minister agree with the statement of the chairman of the Association of Higher Civil Servants that this would help to create more openness in Government and that it could also lead to greater efficiency in the Civil Service by virtue of the fact that their activities would be more open to public scrutiny?
There are a number of factors to be taken into account when considering the question of having wider public access to information held by public bodies. All of those are under consideration in my Department and in other Departments which have an interest in the matter. Obviously the review which has presently been commissioned by the Joint Committee on Legislation will have an important bearing in helping the Government to come to a decision on this matter.
The Minister is again trying to evade the issue by using the Joint Committee on Legislation. The Minister promised a White Paper on the Civil Service. Will he produce this paper or will he wait for the Joint Committee on Legislation to consider what he should do? Will the Minister tell us what is his attitude in regard to a reform of the Civil Service? Does the Minister believe it would be a good thing to have more freedom of information and in this connection does he think therefore that the Official Secrets Act should be looked at and altered?
The question of a review of the Official Secrets Act would not be primarily for me in my ministerial responsibility. The question of a Freedom of Information Act would have relevance for me in my sphere of responsibility but it would also have connotations for a wide range of public bodies. From that point of view it is necessary to get the views of the personnel concerned and to ascertain in what way the matter might best be approached. It was in that context that I suggested that the investigation or review which the Joint Committee on Legislation have just recently initiated will be very helpful in allowing the Government to come to a reasonable conclusion on this matter. In relation to the Deputy's query regarding the White Paper on the Public Service the Deputy can expect to be edified by its publication and his perusal of it within the next few weeks.