Ann Graves (Dublin Fingal East, Sinn Fein)
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95. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there are plans to include the Abbey Theatre under FOI. [60247/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Freedom of Information Act 2014 greatly expanded the number of organisations that are subject to the legislation, setting out broad criteria at Section 6, by which it may be determined whether or not a body is subject to FOI. At present, approximately 600 organisations are subject to FOI, which is designed to promote openness, transparency and accountability in the public sector.

In general, private companies and charities are not FOI bodies in their own right under the terms of the 2014 Act. However, the legislation allows, in principle, for access to records physically held by a company or charity "if and insofar as" they relate to a service to be provided to a public sector body that is subject to FOI. Such a request should be processed in accordance with the legislation by the relevant public sector body. Similarly, information relating to funding or other arrangements with the public sector may be requested under FOI through the relevant public body, rather than directly from the private entity concerned.

Therefore, although private companies and charities are not usually subject to FOI in themselves, relevant information may nevertheless be accessible under FOI where such entities have a sufficiently close connection with public sector bodies. As such, there are no plans at present to make the Abbey Theatre subject to the Freedom of Information Act in its own right.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.