Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context

912. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the regional citizen information companies are subject to FOI, the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee. [29773/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body, under my Department’s aegis, that funds and supports eight regional Citizen Information Service (CIS) companies, which in turn operate a national network of Citizens Information Centres.

Funding is provided based on a Service Level Agreement between CIB and the CIS companies.

As the CIS companies are independent companies limited by guarantee and not state bodies, they do not fall directly under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014.

However, CIB, as the state and statutory body that funds the network of CIS companies, is subject to the FOI Act.

In addition, in accordance with Section 11(9) of the FOI Act, records relating to the services provided by a CIS company may be requested, in the circumstances as set out in the Act, from CIB.

In relation to auditing, the CIS companies are required to appoint their own external auditors. As a state and statutory body, the accounts of CIB are audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG). In addition, CIB informs my Department that the C&AG has the authority to inspect the accounts of the CIS companies, as more than 50% of their funding is from public funds.

Finally, in relation to the Committee of Public Accounts, in accordance with Section 23 of the Comhairle Act 2000 (as amended), the Chief Executive of CIB is the Accountable Officer for the purposes of the Committee of Public Accounts. In the event that C&AG carries out an audit on CIB's accounts, the CIS companies may subsequently receive an invite to the Committee.

I trust this clarifies your query.