Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions 1 and 2 together.

In 2016 my Department received 275 freedom of information requests, which was a 59% increase over the number of requests received in 2014, the year in which the new Freedom of Information Act came into operation. Of the 275 requests received in 2016, 51 were fully granted, 133 were part-granted and 57 were refused, including five where no records were held. There were requests for internal review in respect of seven cases and there was one appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner. There are two staff in my Department's FOI unit, both of whom also have other duties. Staff from across the Department are also involved in processing requests in addition to their routine duties, for example, in searching and retrieving records and making decisions on the requests received.

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