THE EXCLUSION of the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) from public scrutiny is “inexcusable”, the union representing journalists said.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) questioned how the public could have faith in Nama when it was operating “in secret” and outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act.
In a statement to mark World Press Freedom Day yesterday, the union said the ongoing undermining of the Act was “reflective of a deep malaise at the heart of government in Ireland”.
It said the exclusion of certain bodies from the scope of the legislation meant vital issues relating to the economy, security, health and education were excluded from proper scrutiny.
NUJ Irish secretary Séamus Dooley said the recently published annual report of the Information Commissioner Emily O’Reilly “puts in sharp focus the current policy towards openness in government”.
“At a time when citizens are demanding a role in the future of their Republic, the Government is hell bent on keeping them in the dark by excluding key agencies from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.”
Mr Dooley said there was no justification for a blanket exclusion of Nama from the provisions of the legislation. He said the Act made adequate provision for the protection of sensitive information.
“How can we be expected to have faith in a process which operates in secret, just as the National Treasury Management Agency has done? As a principle every new State agency should come within the scope of freedom of information legislation and the exclusion of Nama was a cynical exercise.”
He said government “must learn to trust the citizens of this country, treating them as adults who are capable of comprehending information”.
Mr Dooley said there was also an urgent need to bring An Garda Síochána and the Vocational Educational Committees within the scope of the Act.
The NUJ welcomed the new Defamation Act and the legal status granted this month to the Press Council of Ireland. Mr Dooley said this status brought with it a responsibility on the part of all press organisations to engage with the Press Council and Ombudsman.