Fergus O'Dowd
Question:
302. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice the number of contracted staff, full-time and part-time, employed by her Department, and by any body or entity under the aegis of the Department, who are specifically assigned to processing freedom of information requests (details supplied), in each of the past three years; the Civil Service grade of each; the number of freedom of information requests dealt with by her Department, or any body or entity under its aegis, in each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27237/24]
View answer
It has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I refer to your Parliamentary Question No. 302 which was for answer on 24 June 2024 and which asked: To ask the Minister for Justice the number of contracted staff, full-time and part-time, employed by her Department, and by any body or entity under the aegis of the Department, who are specifically assigned to processing freedom of information requests (details supplied), in each of the past three years; the Civil Service grade of each; the number of freedom of information requests dealt with by her Department, or any body or entity under its aegis, in each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
You will recall that at the time, I undertook to seek the information requested and revert to you. The information requested is provided below.
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014 provides transparency and accountability by providing that every person has the right to access official records; to have personal information held on them corrected or updated; and the right to be given reasons for decisions taken by public bodies that affect them.
My Department is committed to fulfilling all of its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 while also ensuring that those requesting records are dealt with in an open and transparent manner.
My Department’s FOI Unit deals with a high volume of requests and expects to receive over 1,000 requests in 2024. In addition, my Department’s FOI Officer chairs a Freedom of Information Justice Network who meet on a quarterly basis, with all agencies in attendance. These meetings enable the sharing of good practice and knowledge and ensure consistency in the processing and managing of FOI requests across the Department and associated agencies.
I have provided a table in the appendix below setting out numbers in relation to staff in my Department’s FOI Unit, as well as reported numbers of staff in relevant agencies with specific responsibility for FOI. I am informed that all staff numbers below relate to Civil Servants, rather than ‘contracted staff’.
In relation to the numbers of FOI requests submitted to my Department and the bodies under its aegis set out in the table below. Please note that the Private Security Authority is listed as an exempt body under Part 2 of Schedule 1 in the 2014 FOI Act, and that records held by the Criminal Assets Bureau are restricted under the FOI Act (section 42(c)(i).
|
Organisation
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024 to Date
|
|
Department of Justice1
|
903
|
696
|
939
|
573
|
|
The Courts Service of Ireland
|
172
|
136
|
135
|
77
|
|
Data Protection Commission
|
56
|
40
|
52
|
20
|
|
Irish Film Classification Office
|
4
|
3
|
6
|
4
|
|
Insolvency Service of Ireland
|
5
|
6
|
4
|
5
|
|
Judicial Council
|
15
|
5
|
10
|
2
|
|
Legal Aid Board
|
31
|
23
|
27
|
15
|
|
Legal Services Regulatory Authority
|
20
|
18
|
15
|
9
|
|
Property Services Regulatory Authority
|
10
|
18
|
10
|
4
|
|
International Protection Appeals Tribunal
|
2
|
4
|
14
|
16
|
|
Irish Prison Service
|
296
|
275
|
314
|
151
|
|
Office of the Inspector of Prisons
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
8
|
|
Parole Board
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
|
Probation Service
|
15
|
21
|
23
|
9
|
|
An Garda Síochána
|
448
|
455
|
447
|
219
|
|
Forensic Science Ireland
|
5
|
8
|
21
|
6
|
|
Garda Síochána Inspectorate
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Figure includes FOI requests to The Property Services Appeal Board, The Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, Dublin Coroner’s Service and The Office of the State Pathologist
|
Organisation
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024 to Date
|
|
Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission
|
70
|
40
|
60
|
22
|
|
Policing Authority
|
16
|
9
|
7
|
1
|
|
Cuan (Established 2024)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Mental Health (Criminal Legislation) Review Board
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
The Deputy should also note that information in relation to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to public bodies is published annually by the Office of the Information Commissioner available at: https://oic.ie/en/collection/3c1cd-annual- reports/?referrer=https://www.oic.ie/en/publication/961dc-annual-reports/
Appendix
|
Department/Agency
|
Assistant Principal 2021
|
Higher Executive Officer 2021
|
Other Grades 2021
|
Assistant Principal 2022
|
Higher Executive Officer 2022
|
Other Grades 2022
|
Assistant Principal 2023
|
Higher Executive Officer 2023
|
Other Grades 2023
|
|
Department of Justice
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
|
The Courts Service of Ireland
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
Data Protection Commission
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
Irish Film Classification Office
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
|
Insolvency Service of Ireland
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
Judicial Council
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
Legal Aid Board
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
Legal Services Regulatory Authority
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
Property Services Regulatory Authority
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
International Protection Appeals Tribunal
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
Irish Prison Service
|
|
1
|
2
|
|
1
|
2
|
|
1
|
2
|
|
Office of the Inspector of Prisons
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
Parole Board
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
Department/Agency
|
Assistant Principal 2021
|
Higher Executive Officer 2021
|
Other Grades 2021
|
Assistant Principal 2022
|
Higher Executive Officer 2022
|
Other Grades 2022
|
Assistant Principal 2023
|
Higher Executive Officer 2023
|
Other Grades 2023
|
|
Probation Service
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
An Garda Síochána*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
Forensic Science Ireland
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
Garda Síochána Inspectorate
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Policing Authority
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
Mental Health (Criminal Legislation) Review Board
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
*An Garda Síochána informed my Department that they cannot provide figures for counts less than 10 for data protection reasons
