FOI fees and tribunals legislation
Deputy Pearse Doherty asks about the Freedom of Information fees order and long-delayed tribunals legislation; the Taoiseach says he will check the details and revert.
Tá dhá cheist agam ar reachtaíocht atá fógraithe agus ar reachtaíocht atá imithe tríd na Dála. I was surprised last week when I was charged for a freedom of information inquiry given that the order has not been signed. Given that the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill has passed through the Houses and has been signed into law by the President, could the Taoiseach confirm that the order on fees has been signed?
The second issue is one I raised previously with the then Tánaiste, Deputy Gilmore. The Tribunals of Inquiry Bill 2005 appears in the legislative programme under section D. It is listed for Report Stage which means it has gone through publication, First Stage, Second Stage and Committee Stage, and it is awaiting Report Stage. It has been cited in replies I have received to parliamentary questions on the implementation of the findings of the Moriarty tribunal. Two general elections have taken place and the Bill has been put back on the schedule since then. Is Report Stage of the Bill due within the lifetime of the Government or is the Bill now null and void? The Bill continues to appear on the legislative programme. Is there a need for the Bill to remain on the schedule given that it is dated 2005? It is nine years since the Bill was published.
Comment on this
I will revert to Deputy Doherty as I cannot answer his specific question now. The Bill dates to 2005 and has been around for a long time. In respect of the question on FOI, the order was signed last week by the President, Uachtarán na hÉireann, and is now law. It may well be that an implementation period is required. I will check the situation for the Deputy.