Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 5

Written Answers. - Freedom of Information.

Enda Kenny

Question:

219 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the total number of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Acts received by her Department in 2003; the number of requests received per month for 2003; the number of requests received per month for 2002. [31871/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

The total number of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003, received by my Department, amounted to 670 in 2002 and 568 in 2003 to date. In addition, there were 59 requests in 2002 and 48 in 2003 to date, received by the social welfare appeals office. The monthly breakdown of these figures is as follows:

2002

	Department	AppealsOffice
January	77	4
February	39	3
March	67	8
April	45	3
May	60	5
June	46	2
July	57	8
August	46	7
September	45	–
October	79	6
November	67	12
December	42	1
Total	670	59

2003

	Department	AppealsOffice
January	79	4
February	56	5
March	52	6
April	55	6
May	22	2
June	55	4
July	54	4
August	44	5
September	42	4
October	44	2
November	49	4
December (to 14 Dec '03)	16	2
Total	568	48