Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 January 2010
164 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if, any agency, organisation or body in receipt of State funding should be included under the Freedom of Information Act; the range of bodies, organisations and agencies that are in receipt of public funding that are not covered under the FOI Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2574/10]
View answerThe Freedom of Information Act (FOI), which covered 67 public bodies when it commenced in April 1998, now applies to over 500 bodies across the public sector. My Department periodically reviews the range of bodies covered by the Act and routinely engages with Government Departments about bodies under their aegis that might be considered for FOI. Work is ongoing at present on an extension of the Act to a number of such bodies. Application of the Freedom of Information Act to a body is considered under a number of criteria, for example whether the body is in receipt of or administering, considerable public funds or is it exercising important statutory functions, funded by the State or otherwise. Other factors looked at are whether the body is in a category or sector where FOI already applies to other public bodies or where work was formerly done by a Government department and is now done by a state agency. Each case is considered on its own particular merits and the range of bodies remaining outside of FOI is kept under review.
