Freedom of Information Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 February 2018

Wednesday, 7 February 2018

Questions (246)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

246. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of freedom of information requests his Department has received in the past eight years; the number which were accepted without further escalation and not accepted, respectively; the number requested which were not accepted that were escalated to the Information Commissioner; the number of those in which the Data Protection Commissioner ruled in favour of the freedom of information request applicant; the number of those in which the Information Commissioner ruled against his Department; the number of those which his Department appealed to the High Court; the number of those in which the High Court ruled against his Department in favour of the applicant; the number of those which were then brought to the Court of Appeal by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6250/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

My Department processes all Freedom of Information requests received and has dealt with a total of 799 requests in the period from 2010 to 2017 inclusive.  As all requests are dealt with on receipt, none have been escalated to the Office of the Information Commissioner as a result of not having been processed. The Data Protection Commissioner has not been involved with any departmental Freedom of Information requests.

Details of finalised non-personal requests received since 2007 can be accessed on my Department’s website at: DCCAE Published FOI Requests and Replies 2007 -2017.

The Office of the Information Commissioner has, following review, annulled two departmental decisions and varied two other decisions over the period 2010 to 2017.  In the case of the latter, my Department has appealed one of the decisions of the Office of the Information Commissioner to the High Court, and subsequently to the Court of Appeal.  Legal proceedings are ongoing and the case is scheduled to be heard in February 2019.