The Information Commissioner has urged that public bodies such as An Garda and agencies dealing with banking and immigration issues be brought under the scope of the Freedom of Information legislation as a matter of priority.
Speaking at the launch of her annual report, Emily O’Reilly welcomed the commitment of the new Government to reform the Freedom of Information Acts and remove restrictions imposed by the previous administration.
She said while it was important all public bodies be covered by Freedom of Information legislation, if additional agencies were to be included on a phased basis, a priority list should be drawn up by the Government.
She said the priority bodies should include An Garda, the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, the Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, the Judicial Appointment Advisory Board, the Central Bank, the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) and the National Assets Management Agency (Nama).
“Exclusion of significant financial bodies such the NTMA, Nama and the Central Bank denies the general public of its' right as taxpayers, who shoulder the burden of the country’s debt, to try and get to the truth of what happened,” she said.
Ms O’Reilly strongly disagreed with a recommendation in the recent Wright report that suggested the Department of Finance’s policy advice to the minister should not be released under Freedom of Information for at least five years.
The commissioner said the Freedom of Information legislation contained provisions to protect the financial and economic interests of the State.
