Freedom of Information

This website is maintained by the ESF Policy and Operations Section of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, Ireland. The Departments' Freedom of Information page contains the Section 15 and 16 reference material.

The Freedom of Information Act 1997, effective from 21 April 1998, establishes new statutory rights:

• a right for each person to access information held by public bodies;
• a right for each person to have official information relating to him/herself amended where it is incomplete, incorrect or misleading;
• a right to obtain reasons for decisions affecting him/herself.

The Act asserts the right of members of the public to obtain access to official information to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy of individuals.

A Guide to the Functions, Records, Rules and Practices of the Department, dated April, 2001

A hard copy of the reference book in either version may be obtained free of charge by contacting the FOI Unit, Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.