Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to amend the freedom of information scheme to include costings of Government projects in view of the importance of public spending in the current economic climate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33304/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans to amend the Freedom of Information Act. The FOI Act enables members of the public to obtain access to information held by public bodies, to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy. Currently a member of the public can seek access to any record held by a public body covered by the Act, including information held by Government Departments relating to the Public Capital Programme. However, there are exemptions set out in the Act that protect certain types of records that would contain, for example, commercially sensitive information and where the public interest would not be served by the release of such information.

In relation to projects in the Public Capital Programme, Cost-Benefit appraisals of these projects are prepared by the individual Departments and Agencies undertaking the projects. Such appraisals are prepared to facilitate and inform the internal decision making process. It has not been the practice to publish these appraisals as they generally contain commercially sensitive information, the publication of which could be prejudicial to the State's capacity to get best value for money in procurement of capital projects. In these circumstances, I would not consider it appropriate to require that details of such appraisals be published or made available under the FOI Act.