I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 to 163, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy is aware, requests made under the Freedom of Information Act are considered in accordance with the provisions of the Act having consideration to the right of members of the public to obtain access to official information to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy.
With regard to the matter of communications between Ministers, the application of exemptions or interest tests do not arise under the Act. The 1997 Act sets out the basis for application of exemptions to records relating to records of the Government, security, defence, international relations, information contained in confidence, commercially sensitive information and the deliberative process. Decisions on the application of those exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act 1997 and on how relevant public interest tests should be applied are made by designated decision makers to whom the powers of heads of Departments have been generally delegated.
Where a particular exemption was applied, this would occur only after the decision maker concluded that the application of any relevant public interest test did not outweigh invoking the exemption. The numbers of FOI requests refused under the relevant sections of the Act are not available in this Department.