Freedom of Information Act curbs ‘cynical and hypocritical’

RESTRICTIONS on the Freedom of Information Act being introduced by the Government have been described as hypocritical and cynical.

Cabinet records will be held for 10 years and the amount of information available under the Act, including records of expert groups and correspondence between ministers, has been limited.

Departments will also have to consult on information being released and

up-front fees will have to be paid for applications.

The Government’s attempts to ram through the changes to the Act will be firmly resisted by Opposition parties, with Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny saying it was a “smash-and-grab” raid on accountability and transparency.

“It is the action of an arrogant and disconnected government determined to keep their skeletons locked away and hidden,” he said.

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte invited fellow Opposition leaders to obstruct the passage of legislation through Leinster House.

“A vigorous campaign of parliamentary obstruction is the only appropriate response to the Government’s high-handed approach to this matter,” he said.

Green Party finance spokesman Dan Boyle said the amendment totally undermined the concept and spirit of the original act.

“This is a government that doesn’t believe in information and whose concept of transparency and freedom is less than total,” he said. The new rules would have prevented the exposure of the row between Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy and Health Minister Micheál Martin over health service spending and details of the Government’s controversial deal with the religious orders on compensation for abuse victims.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy said the Bill was a sensible, practical measure designed to allow the Government to work effectively while maintaining reasonable public access to records.

“I am happy that the new Bill gets the balance right on freedom of information,” he said.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has said it is appalled by the Government’s plans and the National Union of Journalists said the amendment confirmed its worst fears that the Government was attempting to castrate the act.