Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 2

Written Answers. - Freedom of Information.

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

566 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of freedom of information requests received by her Department during each month from January 2002 to June 2003; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18627/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan):

During the period 1 January 2002 to 22 June 2003, the latest date for which figures are available, my Department has received a total of 969 requests under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003. In addition, 85 requests were received by the social welfare appeals office.

The monthly breakdown of these figures is as follows:

2002

	Department	Appeals Office
January	77	4
February	39	3
March	67	8
April	45	3
May	60	5
June	46	2
July	57	8
August	46	7
September	45	–
October	79	6
November	67	12
December	42	1

2003

January	79	4
February	56	5
March	52	6
April	55	6
May	22	2
June (to 22 June 03)	35	3

The majority of requests were for personal records (83% or 86.2%). The balance of the requests were for information of a non-personal nature. Some 85.4% of all requests were granted either in whole or in part.

My Department has put in place arrangements to deal with requests under the legislation and I am satisfied that these arrangements are operating satisfactorily and efficiently.