THE Department of Justice was criticised for failing to publish the report of the visiting committee to Mountjoy prison.

The Fianna Fail spokesman on justice, Mr John O'Donoghue, suggested it was a "cover up". "It is public property, and there is a public obligation on the Government to publish the report."

The Taoiseach said Mr O'Donoghue should be wary of using pejorative expressions.

The matter was first raised by the PD spokeswoman on justice, Ms Liz O'Donnell, who said the Government had a commitment to openness, and, in fact, had dined out on it on many occasions. But how could this be reconciled with the decision of the Department of Justice to censor, and possibly not publish at all, the Mountjoy report?

Mr Bruton said one of the responsibilities of governments was to protect the reputation of individuals from statements that might be libelous of them. "Clearly, in any publication that is authorised by government such a responsibility must be respected. It must, of course, be balanced against other just public concerns as well."

He added that in making any such balanced judgment the Government, naturally, had to take the best advice available.

He told Ms O'Donnell the legislation on freedom of information would be ready in the second half of the year.