FoI Act report - Ms O’Reilly deserves our thanks

THE announcement that gardaí will have to disclose information under the Freedom of Information Act (FoI), once major reforms of the force are bedded down, represents a feather in the cap of Information Commissioner Emily O’Reilly.

This U-turn came hours after her blistering attack on the Government’s exclusion of An Garda Síochána, as well as several other key State bodies, from the scope of FoI legislation.

Reiterating her demand that police files be opened up in line with international standards, Ms O’Reilly said in her annual report that continued exemption of the garda from the right-to-know laws leaves Ireland out of kilter with the rest of the developed world.