Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 3

Written Answers. - Freedom of Information.

Enda Kenny

Question:

284 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of freedom of information requests received by her Department during each week from January 2003 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21669/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

During the period 1 January 2003 to 28 September 2003, the latest date for which figures are available, my Department has received a total of 459 requests under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003. In addition, 40 requests were received by the social welfare appeals office. The weekly breakdown of these figures is as follows:

2003

Week Ending	Department	Appeals Office
5 January	5	Nil
12 January	4	Nil
19 January	19	Nil
26 January	28	3
2 February	23	1
9 February	17	1

Week Ending	Department	Appeals Office
16 February	14	1
23 February	8	3
2 March	17	Nil
9 March	18	2
16 March	10	1
23 March	12	2
30 March	12	1
*31 March-27 April	55	6
4 May	9	Nil
11 May	3	Nil
18 May	9	Nil
25 May	1	2
1 June	6	1
8 June	8	1
15 June	10	1
22 June	11	Nil
29 June	20	1
6 July	27	3
13 July	2	Nil
20 July	14	1
27 July	11	Nil
3 August	8	2
10 August	10	Nil
17 August	7	1
24 August	13	Nil
31 August	6	2
7 September	1	2
14 September	8	Nil
21 September	12	2
28 September	11	Nil

*Weekly breakdown not available for this period due to computer system upgrade.

The majority of these requests were for personal records – 394 or 85.8%. The balance of the requests were for information of a non-personal nature. I am satisfied that the arrangements which my Department has put in place for dealing with requests under the legislation are operating in an efficient and effective manner.