Three public bodies named as most requested in Limerick under Freedom of Information Act
THE YEAR 2022 witnessed a surge in Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, with hundreds of inquiries made to public bodies across Limerick.
Findings unveiled in the annual report for 2022 by the Information Commissioner, Ger Deering, found that Limerick City and County Council, St. John's Hospital, and the University of Limerick were among the most sought-after entities.
Out of the total number of FOI requests in Limerick, Limerick City and County Council received 208 inquiries, while St. John's Hospital in Limerick was subject to 169 requests. The University of Limerick also faced significant scrutiny, with 90 FOI requests made to the institution.
Nationally, the report highlighted a substantial increase in FOI usage, with over 35,000 inquiries made to public bodies across the country, that led to a notable 26% rise in the number of requests made to public bodies since 2015.
In 2022 alone, 35,465 FOI requests were submitted to various government departments, local authorities, and voluntary hospitals nationwide.
Within the healthcare sector, the Health Service Executive (HSE) witnessed a 12% increase in FOI requests from the previous year, with a total of 11,233 inquiries. Meanwhile, the Department of Social Protection experienced a 20% surge, totaling 2,085 requests. In contrast, the Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) observed a decline of 18%, receiving 1,120 requests in 2022.
The report also shed light on the role of the Information Commissioner's Office, which received 657 applications for review of FOI decisions made by public bodies. The majority of these applications involved challenges to refusals of access to records. 81 applications were accepted in relation to HSE decisions, while the Department of Justice and TUSLA had 31 and 25 decisions challenged, respectively.
The report further detailed the breakdown of FOI requesters to public bodies. It showed that clients of public bodies constituted 56.7% of requesters, followed by journalists at 18.1% and businesses at 5.6%. Staff of public bodies accounted for 2.2% of the requesters, while Oireachtas members made up 1.1%. The remaining 16.3% were classified as "others."
The annual report also highlighted significant decisions made by the Information Commissioner's Office in 2022. In some instances, public bodies refused access to records, citing their "deliberative processes." However, the Commissioner stressed that public bodies must not only demonstrate that the record pertains to the deliberative process but also prove that releasing it would be contrary to the public interest.
The Information Commissioner's annual report for 2022, containing the full details and decisions, is accessible on the office's website at www.oic.ie.