Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm if the vocational educational committees are subject to the Freedom of Information Act; and if this is not the case, the reason for same. [12672/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Vocational Education Committees are not currently covered by the Freedom of Information Act. However the Programme for Government provides that the Government will legislate to restore the Freedom of Information Act to what it was before it was undermined by the outgoing Government, and that it will extend its remit to other public bodies including the administrative side of the Garda Síochána, subject to security exceptions.

It also proposes to extend Freedom of Information, and the Ombudsman Act, to ensure that all statutory bodies, and all bodies significantly funded from the public purse, are covered.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is carrying out preparatory work to implement the above commitments. When this work is complete the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin T.D., will bring proposals to Government in relation to the Freedom of Information Acts. The proposals will include consideration of the extension of the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts to Vocational Education Committees.