Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Finance if organisations and agencies in receipt of State funding are statutorily obliged to answer questions from the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38478/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Obligations are imposed by statute on organisations and agencies in receipt of State funding under a number of headings.

Freedom of Information legislation applies to a range of State organisations and the full spectrum of organisations is reviewed by my Department to ensure that FOI coverage is extended to new public bodies as soon as possible. Rights are also extended to individuals under the provisions of data protection legislation. A guide to these rights is set out at www.dataprotection.ie.

In addition, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C & AG) audits the accounts of non-commercial state sponsored bodies, third-level educational institutions and other bodies specified in legislation.

The C & AG also has statutory powers of inspection over the books, accounts and other records of any person or body for a particular financial year in which they receive from a Government Department or Office, or direct from the Exchequer, an amount which constitutes not less than 50% of their gross receipts in that year.