Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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901. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of occasions since the start of 2014 the Secretary General of his Department has been involved in the clearing or approval of material for release under freedom of information legislation. [11798/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Secretary General in my Department does not act as a decision maker or a reviewer, in respect of requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act. As with any other officer, he may however be asked to check his records for any which may be pertinent to a particular request.

Following receipt of a request for records made under the Freedom of Information Act, an officer within the relevant area, is assigned to act as decision maker. Should an internal review be requested on foot of the initial decision, a more senior officer from another division, is assigned to carry out the review. Appeals following an internal review may be made to the Office of the Information Commissioner.