asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline his policy in relation to the publication of all reports commissioned by his Department or other agencies funded in whole or in part by his Department; if he will introduce changes to the present arrangements to ensure that all such reports are published in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Departmental Reports .
15.
: The publication of reports commissioned by the bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter to be decided by the bodies concerned. The normal practice is to publish reports which they consider to be of general public interest. Reports commissioned by my Department are normally of a specialist or technical nature for departmental use but reports of a general nature and content are published.
: In view of the apparent unnecessary degree of secrecy which seems to surround so much activity in this area, does the Minister feel that there might be some re-examination of the degree to which a wider dissemination and publication of helpful documentation and reports, obviously protecting the confidentiality of sources, names and so on, might be warranted at this time? Would the Minister consider that that might be a timely move as a general principle?
: The Deputy is raising a supplementary question in very general terms. As a principle, of course, one must accept that one should publish as much as would be of public interest and I have said that in my reply. As the Deputy has acknowledged in his supplementary question, there are matters arising in relation to these reports in my Department, and presumably in others, which may not be immediately of public interest and may have a confidential element in them. To the extent that public interest would be served by continuing the level of publication, I agree with the Deputy.