Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 284: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, in addition to the informal third party observations sought by telephone on 7 October 2004, there was other informal oral or written contact with a person (details supplied), her spouse or any other party concerning FOI/04/176; the reason for any such contact and the outcome thereof. [5576/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In addition to informal third party observations sought by my Department with the named individual on 7 October 2004, the individual's spouse contacted the Department by telephone on the same day. The outcome of that contact was to confirm the reluctance of the individual concerned to the release by the Department of the information in question.

Contact was also made by the Department with the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments, which had earlier in 2004 sought and been given the relevant records/file relating to the application for forestry premium by the individual concerned. The purpose of this contact was to advise the tribunal that the Department had received a request under the Freedom of Information Acts for such records/file and to establish whether the tribunal would have a difficulty with their release. The tribunal indicated that it had no such difficulty. There was also communication with the requester for the purpose of apprising him of progress in processing his request.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will provide a copy of the guidelines received by her Department from the FOI central policy unit of the Department of Finance advising all decision-makers to consult any third parties informally when deliberating over the release of records involving these parties. [5577/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As agreed with the Deputy's office, a copy of the FOI central policy unit notice number 13, "Requests involving third parties — A step by step guide" was forwarded to him on 16 February 2005.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her Department has found a lacuna in the Freedom of Information Acts; if she will provide a copy of the record of the manner in which any such lacuna has been brought to the attention of the Department of Finance and the Attorney General. [5578/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has not concluded that the Freedom of Information Acts contain any lacunae.