Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

To return to the kernel of these questions, the statistics, is the Taoiseach aware that the number of FOI requests made across the public sector in 2006 was 32% lower than in 2002? This points to the impact of the amending legislation of 2003. Requests for official and policy information as opposed to requests for personal information, in respect of which fees do not apply, as the Taoiseach stated, dropped by 55% between 2002 and 2006. Does the Taoiseach not accept that the statistics stand very solid in support of a comprehensive review of all the matters pertaining to the FOI process, particularly the impact of the amending legislation of 2003? In light of this information, will the Taoiseach undertake to ensure that a comprehensive review be undertaken to put the FOI system back on track in accordance with the manner intended at the outset? The cold statistics to hand would be damning enough if we were considering comparable numbers of bodies to which the legislation applied between 2002 and 2006 but they are even more grave considering that, annually over this period, more bodies were added to the list of bodies to which the legislation applied. In light of this, will the Taoiseach indicate his intent to carry out the required review and make appropriate amendments to the current legislation to allow citizens, communities and interested bodies make appropriate inquiries as they would wish?

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