Ciarán Cuffe
Question:18 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which her Department has had input into the current review of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997. [8400/03]
Written Answers - Freedom of Information Act.
My Department has extensive experience of the operation of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, mainly in relation to requests for personal information. In the period since the Act came into force on 21 April 1998, until the end of the year 2002, a total of 2,711 FOI requests were received. That figure consists of 2,376 requests in relation to personal records and 335 for non-personal records.
Of the requests received, a total of 2,324 (86%) have been granted in whole or in part.
Since the Act came into operation, my Department has been represented on two interdepartmental groups set up to facilitate the effective implementation and operation of the Act. The groups facilitate the sharing of views, both on the general operation of the Act and on specific issues which arise from time to time. My Department has played a full part, over the years, in the workings of both groups and in the consideration of issues which have arisen on a regular basis.
Issues arising are conveyed on an ongoing basis to the central policy unit of the Department of Finance which was involved in the bringing forward of the current proposals for review of the Act.