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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Freedom of Information.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

1371 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the bodies in or under the aegis of his Department, which have not to date been made subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 1997; if consideration has been given to making each of these bodies subject to the Act; if so, the present state of such consideration; if each of the bodies in question has been consulted in the matter; if so, the present state of such consultations; if each of the bodies will be proposed to be made subject to the Act; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16129/02]

The bodies under the aegis of my Department which have not to date been made subject to the Freedom of Information – FOI – Act are: the Garda Síochána, the Censorship of Films Appeals Board, the Censorship of Publications Appeals Board, the Circuit Court Rules Committee, the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, the District Court Rules Committee, the Forensic Science Laboratory, the Garda Síochána Complaints Board, the Garda Síochána Complaints Appeals Board, the Human Rights Commission, the Judicial Advisory Appointments Board, the Liquor Licensing Commission, the National Crime Council, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations, the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, the Registration of Title Rules Committee, the State Pathology Service and the Superior Court Rules Committee.

Detailed consultations are taking place with the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal with a view to bringing these bodies within the remit of the 1997 Act, and about the nature and scope of their coverage. At the present time it is anticipated that both of these bodies will come within the scope of the Act from 1 November 2002. FOI has been extended to additional public bodies on a phased basis since it commenced in April 1998. The Government has decided that this process should continue so that all bodies appropriate for inclusion are covered by end-2005. I understand that consultations at official level will be initiated in the near future by the Department of Finance with a view to setting a date for inclusion under the Act of the above bodies where this is found to be appropriate.

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