State may restrict personal data access

THE Government is considering restricting the time period within which people can access personal information held by State bodies.

According to an expert on the Freedom of Information Act, the current review of the law may result in time limits being introduced on applications for personal records.

University College Cork law lecturer Maeve McDonagh said last night that introducing time limits for people to seek health, education, tax or social welfare records would be a retrograde step. At the moment, personal files, stretching back indefinitely, can be accessed and this accounts for a large proportion of requests under the Act, she said.