Ms Emily O'Reilly:

Absolutely. Training is needed. There are differing ways of working in different public bodies. There are differences in how exemptions are applied. Commercial sensitivity is one such reason. There are also differences in how search and retrieval fees are applied. Apart from an excellent training system, what is also needed is that relatively senior people are made responsible for FOI.

Very often, those who have responsibility for FOI make decisions which may have a serious impact on a public body or Department. If the person involved is at a junior level, he or she could be slightly - I am not stating that this is actually the case - timid or could be capable of being intimidated. It is better if someone at a more senior level deals with FOI. Training is a critical issue. Mr. Rafferty has been doing much of the tick-tacking with the Department on this. I am not sure whether it is proposed that new training should come on stream.