Written answers
Tuesday, 1 February 2005
Department of Agriculture and Food
Freedom of Information
8:00 pm
Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the basis on which the seeking of the informal third party observations are conducted under the Freedom of Information Acts, such as that sought by phone on 7 October 2004 in a case (details supplied). [2351/05]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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When considering the public interest, the FOI unit of my Department, in accordance with the guidance of the FOI central policy unit of the Department of Finance, advises all decision-makers to consult any third parties informally when deliberating over the release of records involving these parties.
Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will provide a copy of the record of the telephone conversation and any observations and reports sought by phone on 7 October 2004 in a case (details supplied) by the officer involved or any other officer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2352/05]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As the record referred to by the Deputy involves a private citizen, consideration of its release would require prior consultation with the person involved. As the Deputy will be aware, the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 set out a procedure for the release of Departmental records, including records of the kind referred to by the Deputy.
Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of times in 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively, on which her Department sought informal third-party observations by phone in respect of FOI requests or FOI internal reviews. [2353/05]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not keep records of the number of times in which informal third party observations are sought by phone in respect of FOI requests or FOI internal reviews.
Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reference number, date and a summary of each of the five outstanding forestry-related appeals with the Office of the Information Commissioner; and the date on which the commissioner first sought information from her Department or the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. [2354/05]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Details of the five outstanding forestry-related appeals with the Office of the Information Commissioner are as follows:
| Dept. Ref. No.: FOI/135/2002 | Summary of Request |
| Office of the Information Commissioner Ref. No.: 020523 | Requester sought: copies of the annual report and accounts of 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 in respect of each Christmas tree farm partnership between Coillte Teoranta and/or its subsidiaries and financial institutions and of their respective subsidiaries; copies of records showing the Department's/Minister's observations thereon, including correspondence to or from Coillte Teoranta and other parties. |
| Date of request: 7 August 2002 | |
| Date on which Information Commissioner first sought information from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources: 29 October 2002 | |
| Dept. Ref. No.: FOI/95/2002 | Summary of Request |
| Office of the Information Commissioner Ref. No.: 020413 | Requester sought: access to non-personal records showing when the Minister or Department first became aware of the problems which led to a write-off of approximately €2 million of Christmas tree farm assets by Coillte Teoranta; copies of records showing the Department's/Minister's observations on the problem, including correspondence to or from Coillte Teoranta and other parties. |
| Date of request: 4 June 2002 | |
| Date on which Information Commissioner first sought information from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources: 14 August 2002 |
| Dept. Ref. No.: FOI/141/2001 | Summary of Request |
| Office of the Information Commissioner Ref. No.: 010354 | Requester sought copies of records concerning the manner in which Coillte Teoranta has accounted for transactions with the Irish Forestry Unit Trust, IFUT. |
| Date of request: 12 July 2001 | |
| Date on which Information Commissioner first sought information from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources: 31 January 2002 | |
| Dept. Ref. No.: FOI/23/2001 | Summary of Request |
| Office of the Information Commissioner Ref. No.: 010140 | Requester sought records about a commercial wood in Whitefield, Beaufort, County Kerry. |
| Date of request: 30 December 2000 | |
| Date on which Information Commissioner first sought information from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources: 25 October 2001 | |
| Dept. Ref. No.: FOI/14/2001 | Summary of Request |
| Office of the Information Commissioner Ref. No.: 010181 | Requester sought copies of Department of Communication, Marine and Natural Resources records on its past, present and proposed future involvement in the millennium forest project. |
| Date of request: 17 January 2001 | |
| Date on which Information Commissioner first sought information from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources: 18 February 2002 |
Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reference number of the forestry-related FOI appeals in respect of which her Department is awaiting receipt from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources of two sets of records. [2355/05]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by this Deputy is as follows:
| Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Ref. Nos. | Information Commissioner's Ref. Nos. | |
| Appeal 1 | FOI/14/2001 | 010181 |
| Appeal 2 | FOI/23/2001 | 010140 |
I understand that the Office of the Information Commissioner has been directly provided by that Department with copies of all the records relevant to these appeals.
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