Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2020
140. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if correspondence will be published from the Secretary General to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment based on a draft of the Climate Action Plan dated 16 April 2019, together with subsequent correspondence received or sent by his Department in this exchange; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5539/20]
View answerIn the course of supporting the development and implementation of Government policy, in the administration of the Civil Service and in a whole range of other contexts, my Department engages in extensive correspondence with other Departments and public bodies, as well as various stakeholders outside the Civil and Public Service where relevant. This is particularly the case in respect of major whole-of-Government policies with significant expenditure implications, including the Climate Action Plan.
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not publish records of this nature but may release them in specific contexts, including for example on foot of requests received under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014. In general terms, the FOI Act provides for access, to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy, to records in the possession of public bodies such as my Department. Specific exemptions may apply depending on the circumstances, which, together with timeframes for reply to such requests, are set out in the FOI legislation.
