Frances Fitzgerald
Question:65 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, there are to extend the application of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, to other bodies under the remit of his Department. [13433/98]
Written Answers. - Freedom of Information Act.
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:66 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the number of staff in his Department who have received training in relation to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997. [13434/98]
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:67 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the action, if any, taken by his Department to inform the public of the new rights they have acquired under the Freedom of Information Act, 1997. [13435/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 65, 66 and 67 together.
There are no plans to extend the application of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, beyond those bodies already listed in the First Schedule to the Act, namely, the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces and the Army Pensions Board.
A total of 375 staff of the Department have received training in relation to the provisions of the Freedom of Information, 1997.
Section 15 and 16 reference books were prepared and published in accordance with the requirements of the Act and were distributed to all public libraries and, when requested, to members of the public. The Department is currently in the process of preparing a second issue of the reference books, which will also be available shortly on the Department's Internet site.