The Opposition objected to the passage of new regulations linked to the Freedom of Information Act without debate but was defeated by 72 votes to 62.
Fine Gael's leader, Mr Enda Kenny yesterday said he had objected on every occasion to the way the Government had "bulldozed through changes to and charges in the Freedom of Information Act and I do not accept it should be passed without debate". He said the Act had been "strangled by Government changes and regulations, to the detriment of the public interest and of every citizen who is entitled to see the Government standing over its decisions on the day it makes them".
The Taoiseach said that the regulations were to extend the Act to the Civil Service performance verification group, the justice and equality, education, health verification groups and the performance verification groups for the local government sector. "It is a useful proposal," he said.