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Freedom of Information Act, 1997 (No. 13)Introductory TextActs Referred toPart I Preliminary and General (ss. 1-5)1. Citation and commencement.2. Interpretation.3. Regulations.4. Delegation of certain functions of heads.5. Expenses.Part II Access to Records (ss. 6-18)6. Right of access to records.7. Requests for access to records.8. Decisions on requests under section 7 and notification of decisions.9. Extension of time for consideration of requests under section 7.10. Refusal on administrative grounds to grant requests under section 7.11. Deferral of access to records.12. Manner of access to records.13. Access to parts of records.14. Review by heads of decisions.15. Publication of information about public bodies.16. Publication of information regarding rules and practices in relation to certain decisions by public bodies.17. Amendment of records relating to personal information.18. Right of person to information regarding acts of public bodies affecting the person.Part III Exempt Records (ss. 19-32)19. Meetings of the Government.20. Deliberations of public bodies.21. Functions and negotiations of public bodies.22. Parliamentary, court and certain other matters.23. Law enforcement and public safety.24. Security, defence and international relations.25. Conclusiveness of certain decisions pursuant to sections 23 and 24.26. Information obtained in confidence.27. Commercially sensitive information.28. Personal information.29. Procedure in relation to certain requests under section 7 to which section 26, 27 or 28 applies.30. Research and natural resources.31. Financial and economic interests of the State and public bodies.32. Enactments relating to non-disclosure of records.Part IV The Information Commissioner (ss. 33-40)39. Publication of commentaries by Commissioner on practical application, etc., of Act.38. Commissioner to encourage publication of information by public bodies.37. Powers of Commissioner.36. Review of operation of Act and investigations by Commissioner.35. Requests for further information by Commissioner.34. Review by Commissioner of decisions.33. Establishment of office of Information Commissioner.40. Reports of Commissioner.Part V Miscellaneous (ss. 41-48)46. Restriction of Act.41. Decisions deemed to have been made in certain cases.48. Amendment of Official Secrets Act, 1963.47. Fees.45. Immunity from legal proceedings.43. Precautions by High Court and Commissioner against disclosure of certain information.42. Appeal to High Court.44. Stay on certain decisions.First Schedule Public BodiesSecond Schedule The Information CommissionerThird Schedule Enactments Excluded from Application of Section 32.Third Schedule, Part II Statutory InstrumentsThird Schedule, Part I Statutes
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Version status: Repealed | Document consolidation status: Updated to reflect all known changes
Published date: 21 April 1997

Freedom of Information Act, 1997 (No. 13)

Introductory Text
Acts Referred to
Part I Preliminary and General (ss. 1-5)
1. Citation and commencement.
2. Interpretation.
3. Regulations.
4. Delegation of certain functions of heads.
5. Expenses.
Part II Access to Records (ss. 6-18)
6. Right of access to records.
7. Requests for access to records.
8. Decisions on requests under section 7 and notification of decisions.
9. Extension of time for consideration of requests under section 7.
10. Refusal on administrative grounds to grant requests under section 7.
11. Deferral of access to records.
12. Manner of access to records.
13. Access to parts of records.
14. Review by heads of decisions.
15. Publication of information about public bodies.
16. Publication of information regarding rules and practices in relation to certain decisions by public bodies.
17. Amendment of records relating to personal information.
18. Right of person to information regarding acts of public bodies affecting the person.
Part III Exempt Records (ss. 19-32)
19. Meetings of the Government.
20. Deliberations of public bodies.
21. Functions and negotiations of public bodies.
22. Parliamentary, court and certain other matters.
23. Law enforcement and public safety.
24. Security, defence and international relations.
25. Conclusiveness of certain decisions pursuant to sections 23 and 24.
26. Information obtained in confidence.
27. Commercially sensitive information.
28. Personal information.
29. Procedure in relation to certain requests under section 7 to which section 26, 27 or 28 applies.
30. Research and natural resources.
31. Financial and economic interests of the State and public bodies.
32. Enactments relating to non-disclosure of records.
Part IV The Information Commissioner (ss. 33-40)
39. Publication of commentaries by Commissioner on practical application, etc., of Act.
38. Commissioner to encourage publication of information by public bodies.
37. Powers of Commissioner.
36. Review of operation of Act and investigations by Commissioner.
35. Requests for further information by Commissioner.
34. Review by Commissioner of decisions.
33. Establishment of office of Information Commissioner.
40. Reports of Commissioner.
Part V Miscellaneous (ss. 41-48)
46. Restriction of Act.
41. Decisions deemed to have been made in certain cases.
48. Amendment of Official Secrets Act, 1963.
47. Fees.
45. Immunity from legal proceedings.
43. Precautions by High Court and Commissioner against disclosure of certain information.
42. Appeal to High Court.
44. Stay on certain decisions.
First Schedule Public Bodies
Second Schedule The Information Commissioner
Third Schedule Enactments Excluded from Application of Section 32.
Third Schedule, Part II Statutory Instruments
Third Schedule, Part I Statutes
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