FoI Act’s effectiveness - Act must be restored

The effectiveness of the Freedom of Information Act and the threat it poses to those who might abuse their position can be seen in how it is limited, reduced or constrained.

The original act was emasculated by Charlie McCreevy over a decade ago and the current Government has, despite repeated reassurances, not yet made good on its election promise to restore the legislation to the empowering, reassuring buttress it once was.

Launching her annual report for 2012, Information Commissioner Emily O’Reilly warned that some public bodies are using staff shortages to stymie FoI requests. Indeed, one public body said that due to shortages, a request was unlikely to be dealt with within the act’s time constraints. Even if this diminution of the act is unintended, it is unacceptable, as is the inordinate delay in restoring it to what it was — a powerful tool for the protection and enhancement of democracy.