Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 2

Written Answers. - Freedom of Information.

Enda Kenny

Question:

552 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department during each month from January 2002 to June 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18626/03]

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Éamon Ó Cuív):

The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was established in June 2002 assimilating a range of functions previously within the remit of six different Government Departments.

A total of 93 requests have been received by my Department since its establishment. The number of requests received in each month is set out as follows.

2002

June	10*
July	10
August	4
September	7
October	3
November	6
December	10
Total	50

*This figure includes four requests transferred from the former Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands upon the establishment of this Department.

2003

January	5
February	8
March	16
April	4
May	4
June	6
Total	43

Of these requests, seven are currently live. The outcomes in respect of the 86 completed requests were as follows:

Granted	18
Part-Granted	28
Refused	14
Transferred to other Bodies	10
Withdrawn by Requester	7
Information provided on an Administrative basis outside FOI	9

For the Deputy's information I have also included a monthly breakdown of the 141 FOI requests received by the former Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands during the period January-June 2002.

January	29
February	31
March	28
April	26
May	20
June (1-5)	7

Of these 141 requests, nine were transferred to other Departments following the general election of 2002. The outcomes in respect of the remaining 132 requests were as follows:

Granted	55
Part-Granted	32
Refused	27
Transferred to other Bodies	4
Withdrawn by Requester	9
Information provided on an Administrative basis outside FOI	5