Cowen criticises Freedom Of Information Act

[Libero]

However, yesterday Mr Cowen argued that the scheme was being misused.
"It is an expensive and time-consuming aspect of Government work," he told the Dail.

So is attending to all those queries and requests for help from constitutents. (Which, in a way, is all that FoI requests are.) So think of FoI like that, Brian, and you'll get used to it.

However, the idea of the department trawling every question that comes in from people who, perhaps, regard the departments of State as a source of generating information...

Fancy that! Departments of State as a source of information! The cheek of them...

Every sensible boy and girl knows that while Departments of State generate lots and lots of information, we should be happy to absorb it through press release. It's so much more digestible that way.

was not within the contemplation of the Freedom of Information Act

Eh, Brian... It wasn't your lot who introduced it. So don't pretend to know what was contemplated by its introduction or you'll be made to look stupid by those who did introduce it.

...and, to be honest; it is an abuse of the process"

Once again, we see the phrase "to be honest" as a good indicator of impending dishonesty.

It provides an insight into the mindset of late-era Fianna Fáil...

• [FONT=Arial][FONT=Verdana]Politely make a lawful request for information to which the law says you are entitled, as is the case in many other European countries, all while paying the appropriate fee = “abuse of process!”[/FONT][/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial][FONT=Verdana]Preside over the decline into abject insolvency of a major company and then make repeated trips to the superior courts with a fairystory designed to mislead the court and facilitate more unpayable debt from wrecked banks (before being laughed out of court) = *silence*[/FONT][/FONT]

[stanley]

Looks like FAS dont like FOI's.

My ears are burning… – The Story

Gret link, as Michael Jackson sang "We are not alone".