Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005
361 Mr. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory bodies under the aegis of his Department which are not subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1997; the reason a body is not subject to the requirements of the Act; and if he envisages proposals to bring any such body within the scope of the Act in the foreseeable future. [1194/05]
View answerThe State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory bodies under the aegis of my Department that are not subject to the Freedom of Information Acts are: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland; Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority; Financial Services Ombudsman; National Treasury Management Agency; National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission; National Development Finance Agency; State Claims Agency; Valuation Tribunal; Disabled Driver Medical Board of Appeal; Public Service Benchmarking Body, non-statutory; and the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector, non-statutory.
Proposals for extending freedom of information are being developed at present in my Department in the context of plans to extend freedom of information to other appropriate bodies by the end of 2005.
In addition to the above bodies, the special EU programmes body under the aegis of my Department is a North-South implementation body established under the British Irish Agreement Act 1999. The Act states that "the Irish and Northern Ireland Ministers with responsibility for Freedom of Information will as soon as practicable draw up a code of practice on access to information for approval by NSMC". Preparation of the code of practice is at an advanced stage and it is expected to be implemented during 2005. My Department is, of course, covered by the freedom of information legislation and any information held by it which is common to both the Department and the special EU programmes body is therefore subject to freedom of information.
