Freedom of information
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 established three new statutory rights:
· a legal right for each person to access information held by public bodies;
· a legal right for each person to have official information held by a public body relating to him/herself amended where it is found to be incomplete, incorrect or misleading;
· a legal right to obtain reasons for decisions affecting oneself taken by a public body
The Acts assert the right of members of the public to obtain access to official information to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy of individuals. The Act allows public access to information held by this body, which is not routinely available through other sources. Access to information under the Act is subject to certain exemptions and involves specific procedures and time limits.
The Role and Structure of the FOI Unit of IILT:
The FOI Unit of IILT has a co-ordinating role with regard to FOI. All requests directed to IILT are handled by Decision Makers based in IILT Head Office and also the various IILT centres. The FOI unit provides ongoing support to Decision Makers and Internal Reviewers, including guidance and interpretation of the FOI Act.
Staff training is offered where required, to ensure the smooth and efficient running of FOI within IILT.
In accordance with the legislation, IILT publishes a Section 15 and a Section 16 Manual (hard copies available from the FOI unit), both of which are available for download here.
The FOI unit is staffed as follows:
Freedom of Information Officer
Name: Seán Breathnach
Email: sean.breathnach@www.iilt.ie
Phone: 01 – 6677232 / 01 -6677295
Decision Makers
Name/Grade: Emer Gilmartin / Executive Manager
Helen Lawlor / Administrator (Finance)
Reviewers
Name/Grade: Professor David Little / Director
Dr. Barbara Lazenby Simpson / Director
Requesting information
You can download a form to request information under the Act by clicking on the link below. This opens a new window, so you may have to allow popups from IILT if you have a popup blocker installed.
Freedom of information FAQ
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