Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress he has made in extending the Freedom of Information Acts to more State agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47285/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In late July 2012, the Government approved my proposals to reform Freedom of Information and extend the Act to all public bodies. There are over 500 bodies, including some voluntary bodies, under the Act. It is anticipated that in excess of 100 additional public sector bodies will be brought within remit as a result of my legislative proposals. Subject to specific conditions, this will include, for example, An Garda Síochána, public financial bodies (NTMA, NAMA, NPRF, and the NDFA), the Central Bank of Ireland, public bodies with important regulatory, quasi-judicial and investigative functions (to include the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Applications Tribunal) and Vocational Educational Committees. The number of bodies will be further increased when I bring non-public bodies benefiting from significant State funding within remit on a case-by-case basis under criteria balancing the public interest with appropriate proportionality. I submitted the detailed General Scheme of a Freedom of Information Reform Bill to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform in August for its views and recommendations. I expect to be in a position to publish the Freedom of Information Bill following careful consideration of the views to be furnished by the Joint Committee on the legislative proposals and the drafting of the Bill by the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel in due course.