Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 January 2013
60. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he intends consulting with the Information Commissioner in relation to those State agencies and or bodies which may be excluded from the Freedom of Information legislation to be introduced later this year; and his views on the possible limitations that will come with the inclusion of An Garda Siochana, refugee and asylum agencies as set out in the draft heads of the Bill. [3076/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraDecision-making on the application of Freedom of Information to public bodies is a matter for Government on the basis of proposals made in my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government decided in July last to endorse the principle contained in the Programme for Government that in the future Freedom of Information should apply to all public bodies subject to some exemptions - in whole or in part - agreed in the public interest.
In developing my proposals and the Government in considering them, had regard to the views publicly expressed by the Information Commissioner relating to the application of FOI to public bodies. In the specific examples highlighted in the Deputy’s question, the proposed extension of FOI is fully in line with the Programme for Government commitment in the former case and in the latter no exemption or exclusion is being proposed, in line with the long-standing position of the Information Commissioner that FOI should apply to the refugee and asylum agencies in line with international best practice.
