Dublin 7th April 2003
Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Communications,
Marine and Natural Resources, today announced that he is to
place details of Freedom of Information requests relating to
his Department on his Departmental website.
From April 15th all new Freedom of Information
requests, other than requests for personal information,
submitted to my Department will be placed on the Departmental
website, www.dcmnr.ie
This will allow members of the public to openly and
transparently see the workings of the Freedom of Information
Act in my Department.
I am taking this step with a view to having
information released under FOI legislation simultaneously
placed on my Departments website.
I have instructed my officials to assess the
practical and technical feasibility of such a move and to
investigate the establishment of a pilot project in the near
future."
This move indicates clearly just how the
Internet and the information society can benefit citizens and
provide open Government. It will allow ordinary citizens to
access this information simply and
efficiently.
Requests and releases referring to personal
information will, of course, be exempted from the
process.
I believe that the Internet can open up the real
benefits of the Act to everyone. As Minister for Communications
I want to do all I can to practically indicate the benefits of
the Internet and the potential of the information
society.
This move also underlines this Government
commitment to open Government. Since it was introduced in April
1998, we have extended the remit of the Act to a huge degree.
Initially the Act covered just 67 bodies - today there are 370
bodies under its remit.
We have opened up Government and the public
service to an extent undreamed of by the Rainbow Government
which framed the original legislation. This present move
represents a continuation of that reforming
strategy.
ENDS
For further information, please
contact:
Richard Moore
Press Advisor
Department of Communications, Marine and Natural
Resources
Leeson Lane
Dublin 2
Tel: +353-(0) 1-678-2440
Fax: +353-(0) 1-676-6161
or
Tom Mc Loughlin
Press Officer
Department of Communications, Marine and Natural
Resources
Leeson Lane
Dublin 2
Tel: +353-(0) 1-678-2441
Fax: +353-(0) 1-676-6161