The details requested by the Deputy in relation to FOI requests received by my Department are set out in the tables beneath. Regarding records part granted or refused, material is redacted for a variety of reasons, as provided for in the FOI Act.
Examples of grounds commonly used by FOI decision makers in my Department for withholding material include where it is necessary to withhold personal information such as personal email addresses or mobile phone numbers, where Government records less than 5 years old are concerned, where the material, if released, could have an adverse impact on the international relations or the economic interests of the State, and where commercially sensitive information is involved.
|
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
|
Total number of requests received
|
275
|
344
|
490
|
466
|
|
Granted
|
55
|
75
|
111
|
75
|
|
Part granted
|
138
|
145
|
243
|
192
|
|
Refused
|
54
|
35
|
46
|
24
|
|
No records exist
|
11
|
65
|
70
|
81
|
|
Transferred
|
1
|
8
|
3
|
8
|
|
Withdrawn
|
15
|
11
|
13
|
27
|
|
Handled outside FOI
|
1
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
|
Ongoing
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
56
|
|
Total number of internal review (IR) requests
|
10
|
13
|
19
|
5
|
|
IR requests upheld
|
5
|
8
|
17
|
4
|
|
IR requests varied
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
|
IR requests annulled
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
IR requests withdrawn
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Requests that required search and retrieval fees
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
Total amount of search and retrieval fees received
|
0
|
0
|
€467.84
|
€820
|
|
Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) reviews
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
|
Upheld by OIC
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
Varied by OIC
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Annulled by OIC
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
Withdrawn after referral to OIC
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
Ongoing at OIC
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
