Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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446.To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the average waiting time for an appeal lodged with the Information Commissioner; if he intends to provide additional resources to speed up the length of time it is taking to make decisions; his plans to reform the Freedom of Information legislation; when the final review report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35841/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In 2023, the latest year for which statistics are available, 51% of reviews by the Information Commissioner were concluded within four months, with 92% of reviews concluded within 12 months. Given the complexity of the issues that routinely arise, the Commissioner and his staff are to be commended for the efficiency with which FOI reviews are carried out.

Resources for the Office of the Ombudsman within which the Office of the Information Commissioner sits, are considered in the context of the annual estimate process. My Department continues to engage with the Office with regard to resourcing in 2025.

In relation to the review of the Freedom of Information Act, the progress update published by my Department sets out the general direction, across three main strands. Firstly, a more coherent approach to information governance and access. Secondly, supplementing formal FOI requests with less bureaucratic and more direct ways of achieving transparency, including proactive publication of information. Thirdly, various issues and proposals for improving the FOI request process. The review report is now nearing completion. It is intended that the recommendations arising from the review will inform next steps.

My Department aims to bring the FOI final review report to Government for approval to publish in the coming months. Any updates to the FOI legislation, if required, will follow from the review recommendations.