Vol. 507 No. 3
198 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the discussions, if any, he has on the question of extending the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, to the third level sector; and, if so, the timeframe for this extension. [16889/99]
It is my policy that the Freedom of Information Act should be extended to institutions in the third level sector. There are operational issues to be considered in so extending the Act, including issues relating to resources. My Department has requested the Higher Education Authority to enter into discussions with the universities in order to establish an appropriate time-frame for the extension of the Act to that sector. My Department will consult directly with the other institutions on the matter. While it is not possible at this stage to provide for a precise time-frame, the objective of these discussions is to ensure that the Act can be extended to the institutions within a reasonable period of time.
