Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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91. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress being made towards ratification of the Council of Europe convention on access to information; when ratification is anticipated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43194/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I understand based on the latest information available to my Department, that the Convention referred to in the Deputy’s question, which opened for signing on 18 June 2009, has been ratified by six of forty seven member States of the Council of Europe (i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Lithuania, Montenegro, Norway and Sweden). The Convention must be ratified by ten member countries before it comes into effect. So far it is understood that fourteen member States have signed the Convention. The enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill, 2013 by the Oireachtas in due course will allow for further consideration to be given to the scope for Ireland to join the Convention.