Government ‘encouraging a culture of secrecy’

THE Government was yesterday accused of encouraging a culture of increasing secrecy in its restrictive application of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.

Green Party chief whip Dan Boyle said that a recent unpublished critical report by Ombudsman and Information Commissioner Emily O’Reilly, and restrictions and charges introduced in 2003, had made a mockery of the concept of Freedom of Information.

Mr Boyle claimed that the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats coalition was disposed to the notion of a secretive government.