Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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985. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of occasions since the start of 2014 in which the secretary general of his Department has been involved in the clearing or approval of material for release under Freedom of Information legislation. [11807/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is empowered under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 to delegate functions of the Act to staff of the Department. Generally, staff at Higher Executive Officer and above are delegated with functions, including in relation to granting or refusing access to records in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Requests when received are assigned to a delegated individual (a decision maker).

In delegating functions in this way, the decision makers are given full autonomy under the Act in making decisions on requests and, while they may consult with other relevant persons in reaching their decision to grant, part-grant or refuse access to a record or records, full decision making powers rests with the decision maker and no other officer of the Department, including the Secretary General, has an approval role in relation to such decisions.

The Secretary General has not acted as a decision maker for any request and nor has he had a role in approving any such decisions.