The Freedom of Information Acts give people a right of access to records held by many public bodies including Government Departments, the HSE and Local Authorities. The Office of the Information Commissioner reviews decisions made by public bodies in relation to Freedom of Information requests. Its job is to review such decisions in a fair and independent way. The office also promotes the operation of the FOI Act and, from time to time, publishes commentaries on the operation of the FOI Act.
P. Nikiforos Diamandouros on to the public hearing on the Revision of Regulation 1049/2001 on public access to documents, European Parliament - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Brussels, 2 June