Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Jun 1999

Vol. 507 No. 2

Written Answers. - Freedom of Information Act.

Marian McGennis

Question:

143 Ms M. McGennis asked the Minister for Health and Children the companies or businesses from which his Department has received most frequent requests under the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, other than requests by businesses for personal information; the general nature of the information sought; and the costs levied on the companies or businesses for the processing of these requests. [16418/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The Department of Health and Children has received 281 FOI requests since the commencement of the Act on 21 April 1998. Some 50 of these were for personal information.

The 231 non-personal requests can be categorised as follows:

Source of Request	Number of Requests	Percentage ofTotal
Journalists	140 requests	60 per cent
Interest Group/Corporate	43 requests	19 per cent
Members of Oireachtas	18 requests	8 per cent
Private Individuals	30 requests	13 per cent
Total	231 requests	100 per cent

Of the 140 requests submitted by journalists more than half came fromThe Sunday Tribune, The Sunday Times and the Irish Medical Times. In general the media has been interested in topical issues and in reports commissioned by the Department. The latter would include reports on health insurance and on eligibility. Financial returns, plans in relation to year 2000, and management advisory committee minutes were each the subject of several requests. Many interest groups and professional bodies have sought policy records relevant to their members. There have also been several corporate requests for contract documents.

The charging mechanisms of the Act are used to encourage requesters to focus their inquiries and to date the charges on completed requests total £158.