Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for this question, which has caught my attention because we are very clear on what people should do in this regard. Beaumont Hospital is a prescribed body, as the Deputy knows, in its own right for the purposes of freedom of information. Statutory responsibility for the hospital's compliance with the provisions and requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 rests with the hospital authorities. Inquiries have been made with the hospital on the publication, under section 8 of the legislation, of its publication scheme. The hospital has advised that work is under way collating and compiling information for publication on the Beaumont Hospital website. This will include up-to-date details of the services provided by the hospital, high-level policies and procedures, financial information, procurement data and other relevant information.

I am advised that, in parallel with this, the hospital has recently commenced a major overhaul of its website, which it anticipates will be completed by quarter 2 of this year, including the publication of the publication scheme and the disclosure log. On foot of the question received from the Deputy, I will write to the chair and chief executive of Beaumont Hospital requesting that the work under way is expedited and that as much public information as possible is provided outside of the freedom of information process. I welcome any further thoughts or insights that the Deputy might have on the matter.

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