Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Is the Deputy talking about the Department or the freedom of information officer? Every Department has a freedom of information officer who deals exclusively with freedom of information requests. There is no contact between a freedom of information officer in any Department and the Minister or Minister of State. The officer makes his or her decisions independently. The law stipulates quite clearly that there is an appeals process, which is also independent. It might not be a good idea to get into the business of having Ministers state what should or should not be-----

See this speech in context