Govt proposes sweeping changes to FoI Act

The Government has published legislation aimed at curtailing the 1997 Freedom of Information Act.

The act was introduced to give the public access to almost all correspondence and written documents relating to the activity of Government departments and semi-state bodies.

However, just six years after it became law, the Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats coalition is seeking to have it watered down.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy said the proposals are designed to ensure the Government can "carry out its business in an efficient and orderly way in the interest of the whole community".

Among the changes proposed today is a doubling of the current five-year moratorium on the release of Cabinet papers and restrictions on the release of information about issues and policies that are still the subject of "deliberations".

The suggested amendments also include restrictions on the release of documents relating to parliamentary questions, tribunals and international relations.

In addition, the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003 gives Mr McCreevy the power to introduce up-front fees to cover the cost of administering the act, but the minister insisted that these fees will not be applied to requests for personal records.

Seamus Dooley, the Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, has already expressed grave concerns about the watering down of the existing freedom of information legislation.

Today he accused the Government of seeking to stifle debate by rushing the new bill through the Oireachtas before April and said the Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats coalition had refused to meet the NUJ or other users of the legislation to discuss the proposed changes.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties said the amendments were drawn up behind closed doors, subverting the principles of transparency and accountability that prompted the introduction of the legislation in the first place.

The ICCL called for the proposed changes to be scrapped immediately.