Most FOI queries to education department

More requests are made to the Department of Education than any other public body under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), according to the Information Commissioner.

Publishing his third annual report, Mr Kevin Murphy noted the Department received 1,225 requests in 2000 - almost double that of any other body.

A spokeswoman for Office of the Information Commissioner said the increase in requests to the Department reflected the number of former industrial school students trying to trace their records.

The increase in requests come on the back of the Laffoy Commission’s inquiry into child abuse in Ireland’s State-run schools.

Overall, over 13,700 FOI requests were made to public bodies in 2000, an increase of more than 2,000 over 1999.

The Commissioner accepted 422 appeals during the year, of which 370 related to a decision by a public body to refuse access to records. Sixty per cent of the appeals accepted related to personal information.

Mr Murphy said the act was "working well" but that some public bodies are not giving adequate information.

He said: "Public bodies can avoid many potential complaints by being more proactive, both through FOI and otherwise, in releasing information and in giving reasons for their actions.

The number of requests made by journalists to public bodies under the FOI rose by 58 per cent in 2000. Mr Murphy said: "The sensible use of FOI by the media can make a real contribution to the creation and maintenance of open and accountable government."

The FOI Act was introduced three years ago and applies to 280 public bodies.