Freedom of Information delays ‘shameful’

DECISIONS on the release of contentious records under the Freedom Of Information Act are being delayed by years due to a lack of staff in the appeals body.

Information commissioner Emily O’Reilly is concerned at the delays in the processing of appeals by her office due to pressures of resources. The Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) said in recent weeks they had 900 appeals, including some cases received in 1999, and 200 from before January 2002.

The figures were contained in a letter from the OIC to Fine Gael TD Bernard Allen, explaining why he had still not received a decision on an appeal he made almost two- and-a-half years ago.