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FOI General Information

Freedom of Information (FOI) Acts 1997 - 2003, give 3 legal rights to those seeking access to information held by public bodies covered by the Act

  • the right of access to official records created after 21 April 1998 which are held by Government Departments or other public bodies subject to the Act;
  •  the right to have personal details on official records corrected or updated where such information is incomplete, incorrect or misleading;
  • and the right to be given reasons for decisions taken by public bodies that affect the requester.

General Information on FOI

Can I get access to any information that I seek?  

Is there a charge for getting information under the FOI Act?   

How do I make an FOI request?

Assistance in making requests

What can I do if I am unhappy with a decision on my request?     

Do I need to make an FOI request to get information from DEHLG?  

Met Éireann

Performance Verification Group under the aegis of DEHLG which is subject to the FOI Act

State bodies under the aegis of DEHLG which are subject to the FOI Act  

 

FOI gives legal rights to obtain access to records held by public bodies.  There is generally no time limit in the case of personal information about the requester.  In other cases the right of access is to records created after the commencement of the Act on 21 April 1998 (although access may be given to records created before this date where they are required to understand records created after this date). Requests for information under Section 7 of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 - 2003 must be made in writing.          

As stated above FOI also gives rights to have incomplete, incorrect or misleading personal information held by the public body corrected (Section 17) and to obtain the reasons for an act of the public body affecting the individual making the request (Section 18).         

As required by the Act, DEHLG has produced reference books to assist the public in using FOI procedures.The first of these reference books - FOI Section 15 Reference Book is a guide to the functions and records of the Department.          

The second reference book - FOI Section 16 Reference Book details the rules and practices of the Department in relation to any decisions made under schemes effecting the public. Copies of these reference books are available on request from the Information Officer, FOI Unit, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Ardcavan Business Park, Ardcavan, Co. Wexford..Email:  foi@environ.ie  Phone: 053 918 5034 (Paul Bonnington)

 Can I get access to any information that I seek?

The following records come within the scope of the FOI Act:

  •  all records relating to requesters' personal information irrespective of when they were created
  •  all other records created from the commencement of the FOI Act (21 April, 1998) 
  •  any records necessary to the understanding of a current record even if created prior to 21 April 1998                            

Any records held by the Department falling into these categories may be sought under the Act.  However, in order to allow public bodies to conduct their business properly and to protect the rights of third parties, certain records are exempt from release under the Act.  Whether an exemption will be applied depends, in many cases, on whether the public interest is better served by releasing or withholding the information. Among the key exemptions are records relating to:

  • Government meetings
  •  the deliberative processes of the public body
  •  parliamentary and court matters
  •  law enforcement and public safety· security, defence and international relations 
  • confidential and commercially sensitive information
  •  personal information (other than information relating to the person making the request)

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS DEPARTMENTAL POLICY TO PUBLISH F.O.I REQUESTS ON THIS WEBSITE.

 Is there a charge for getting information under the FOI Act?

There is no application fee for requests for personal information relating to the requester.  In the case of requests for non-personal information there is an application fee of €15, or €10 in the case of a medical card holder (or dependant of a medical card holder).  There may also be further charges for the time spent retrieving records (€20.95 per hour) and for any photocopying costs (4 cent per sheet).  Such charges are very unlikely to be applied in the case of personal information relating to the requester.                       

 There is no charge for applications to have incomplete, incorrect or misleading personal information corrected or for applications to obtain the reasons for acts of the public body affecting the individual making the request.

 How do I make an FOI request?  

A request for information under the Freedom of Information Act must be made in writing and should indicate that the information is being sought under the Freedom of Information Act.  The request should also be sufficiently clear for us to identify the records sought.   If we are not clear as to the records being sought we will contact you to seek clarification.           

If you wish to gain access to the records in a particular form (e.g. inspect the records, photocopies, computer disk, etc.) you should specify this in the application.           

Requests may be made by post by writing to

Information Officer
FOI Unit,
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 
Unit 1, Ardcavan Business Park,
Ardcavan,
Co Wexford.
   

Requests for information (other than personal information about the requester) should be accompanied by the appropriate fee i.e. €15 or €10 in the case of a person covered by a medical card. In the case of requesters covered by medical cards, details of the medical card registration number and issuing health board, together with consent to the verification of these details with the relevant health board should be included.            

Processing of an FOI request will not commence until the appropriate fee has been received.  There may be further charges for search and retrieval (€20.95 per hour) and photocopying (€0.04 per sheet) applicable to your request.  Further charges would be very unlikely to be applied to requests for personal information.                      

 Requests may also be made by e-mail to foi@environ.ie . If you have made a request by e-mail and an application fee is payable in your case (i.e. your request is for non-personal information) please enclose a copy of your e-mail when forwarding your fee.                      

Normally you will be notified of the decision on your request within 4 weeks of its receipt.

Assistance in making requests

Information on type of records held by the Department is given in our FOI Section 15 Reference Book. If you have difficulty in identifying the records required, the staff of the FOI Unit will be happy to assist you.  The FOI Unit can be contacted by telephone at 053 918 5054 - Matt McLoughlin or 053 918 5034 Paul Bonnington or e-mailed at  (foi@environ.ie).

 What can I do if I am unhappy with a decision on my request?    

If you are dissatisfied with the Department's decision on an FOI request you can seek an internal review of the decision.  An internal review is a complete reconsideration of your request by a more senior member of staff in the Department.  Applications for internal review should be made in writing to the FOI Unit.            

There is an application fee of €75, (€25 for requesters covered by medical cards), for applications for internal review of FOI requests. There is no charge for an application for internal review of a decision relating to the requester's personal information or for an application for internal review of a decision to charge fees.             

If you are unhappy with the decision made by the internal reviewer, you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner, whose contact details are as follows:   

Office of the Information Commissioner, 18 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2   Phone: (01) 6395689 or 1890 223030, Fax (01) 6395676 e-mail: info@oic.ie There is an application fee of €150 (€50 for requests covered by medical cards) for application for review to the Information Commissioner. There is no charge for an application for review to the Information Commissioner of an internal review decision relating to the requester's personal information or a decision to charge fees.

Do I need to make an FOI request to get information from DEHLG?         

No. It is not necessary to make an FOI request to get information from the Department. A considerable amount of material is already made available to the public through information leaflets, Water and Natural Heritage Publications, Roads Publications,  Local Government Publications, Housing Publications, Environment Publications- Part 1 /Part 2, Heritage and Planning Publications - Part 1 /Part 2, and Corporate Services Publications and in response to enquiries.  Contact points for information on services provided by the Department are set out in our FOI Section 16 Reference Book.

FOI provides an additional source of information by facilitating access to records not made  routinely available.

Met Éireann

Met Éireann is part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and is subject to the Freedom of Information Acts 1997-2003.

Contact details  are:

Met Éireann, Glasnevin Hill, Dublin 9, Ireland Tel: 01-8064246
FOI Contact Person: Joe Bourkee-mail address: joe.bourke@met.ie

Performance Verification Group under the aegis of DEHLG which is subject to the FOI Act

The Performance Verification group under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is subject to the Freedom of Information Acts 1997-2003. Contact details for this group are:

Performance Verification Group - Local Government SectorC/o Local Government Management Services Board,2nd Floor Cumberland House,Fenian Street,Dublin 2.Telephone: 01-6099560FOI
Contact Person: Chris Gavigane-mail address: cgavigan@lgmsb.ie

State bodies under the aegis of the DEHLG which are subject to FOI Act 

Fifteen state bodies under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government are subject to the Freedom of information Acts 1997 – 2003.  Contact details for these bodies are:  

Affordable Homes Partnership
4th FloorWorld, Com Building, Lower Erne Street, Dublin 2
Telephone:01-6564115
FOI contact person: Ciara Galvin
e-mail address: ciara.galvin@affordablehomespartnership.ie

An Bord Pleanála
64 Marlborough St, Dublin 1
Telephone:01-8588100
FOI contact person: Bernie Redmond
e-mail address: b.redmond@pleanala.ie

An Chomhairle Leabharlanna
53/54 Upper Mount St, Dublin 2
Telephone:01-6761167
FOI contact person: Annette Kelly
e-mail address: akelly@librarycouncil.ie

Building Regulations Advisory Body (BRAB)
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Custom House, Dublin 1
Telephone: 01- 8882371
FOI contact person: Aidan Smith
e-mail address: aidan.smith@environ.ie

Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA)
52-55 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Docklands, Dublin 1
Telephone: 01-8183300
FOI contact person: Ursula Foley
e-mail address:  ufoley@dublindocklands.ie

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
PO Box 3000, Johnston Castle Estate, Co. Wexford
Telephone:053-9160600
FOI contact person: Majella Byrne
e-mail address: m.byrne@epa.ie

Fire Services Council
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Room G74, Custom House, Dublin 1
Telephone:01-8744760
FOI contact person: Liam Munroe
e-mail address: liam_munroe@environ.ie

Heritage Council
Rothe House, Kilkenny
Telephone: 056-7770777
FOI contact person: Liam Scott
e-mail address lscott@heritagecouncil.ie

 Housing Finance Agency PLC
Eden House15-17, Eden Quay, Dublin 1
Telephone:01-8725722
FOI contact person: Barry O' Leary
e-mail address boleary@hfa.ie

Irish Water Safety
The Long Walk, Galway
Telephone:091-564400
FOI contact person: John Leech
e-mail address: iohnleech@iws.ie

Local Government Management Services Board
2nd Floor Cumberland House, Fenian Street, Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-6099560
FOI contact person: Sonia Merrifield
e-mail address: smerrifield@lgmsb.ie

Local Government Computer Services Board
Phoenix House, 27 Conyngham Road, Dublin 8
Telephone: 01-6457000.
FOI contact person: Martina Kelly
e-mail address: mkelly@lgcsb.ie

National Building Agency
"Hatherton", Richmond Avenue South, Milltown, Dublin 6
Telephone: 01-4979654
FOI contact person: Maria Lynch
e-mail address: mlynch@nba.ie

Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII)
3 Clonskeagh Square, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14
Telephone: 01-2697766
FOI contact person: Barbara Rafferty
e-mail address: brafferty@rpii.ie

Rent Tribunal
Custom House, Dublin 1
Telephone:01-8882309
FOI contact person: Rob Walsh
e-mail address: Rob.Walsh@environ.ie

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