A comprehensive review of the FOI regime has been undertaken and is nearing completion. The review was undertaken in the context of a system that appeared to be operating well on its own terms. Since the introduction of the updated legislation in 2014, there has been a large expansion in FOI usage. The number of organisations covered by the legislation has increased significantly and the number of requests received annually has almost doubled. Approximately four out of every five requests decided upon are granted. Reviews are available where requesters are dissatisfied with the outcome of their requests. However, these are availed of in approximately 3% of cases annually, while an independent review by the Information Commissioner is sought in slightly over 1% of cases. Key indicators remain consistent from year to year. However, this does not mean that there is no room for improvement. Against this backdrop, a thorough and careful review has been undertaken, assessing the current regime and identifying challenges and opportunities to build on and update the system, aiming to deliver transparency in more effective ways. The review process has been an open and collaborative one, taking in the views of a wide range of stakeholders. It commenced with a scoping process that sought the views of stakeholders across all sectors in setting the direction of the review and included a customer satisfaction survey as well as a full public consultation. This was supplemented by engagement with all the key stakeholders and accompanied by a review of international approaches to FOI seeking to identify best practices and innovations globally. The review draws on this evidence to inform its findings and recommendations. Broadly speaking, the key strands in the review involve considering potential reforms leading to a more coherent approach to information governance and access, supplementing formal FOI requests and improving the request process. I expect to receive the final report shortly and then intend to bring it to Government for approval in due course. If amending legislation is required on foot of the report, this will be progressed together with some of the recommendations.
Sentiment score: 0.24
It was prudent that a review took place. It was very open-ended on public consultation and structured stakeholder engagement. There is also the international metric, which is important in that context. It has been established with very strong engagement in the recent period. We want to assess the feedback from the broader political system and, indeed, public interest parties that want to extract information in the interest of transparency, which does help to strengthen evidence-based public policy. It has been a force for good in overall public policy over many years. The spirit in which I will bring forward this review will be very much in that light. It will take into account the feedback we are getting from the public. Turning to the Deputy's point concerning appeals and consistency of decision-making, as I said, there is a low rate of review decisions, at 3%, while 1% are submitted to the Information Commissioner. This has been consistent over many years. I have not seen the report yet so we will see what it recommends.
Sentiment score: 0.27
I am happy to do that. If we look at the existing scheme, the fact that the requests have doubled is a good sign that people are engaging with the broader FOI system. One thing that also needs to be strengthened across public bodies is the work we are doing with the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, on data and digitalisation. A great deal of public information can be published properly and proactively that should be in the public domain without people having to go through an FOI process. That line of work needs to be strengthened across State agencies and Departments to ensure people can access information and do their own independent data analysis of much of the work to strengthen public policy and evidence-based decision-making. That would help. When I was a Minister of State in the Department of Transport, the fragmentation of certain information somewhat inhibited transport research in certain areas where it was necessary to go through a protracted process to extract the information.
Sentiment score: 0.56
The more information we can publish and allow academics and the public interest to interact with it, the better it will be for public policymaking. This needs to sit in parallel with the FOI system itself in respect of how we get better proactive publication across the board.
Sentiment score: 0.80
The construction sector group was set up in 2018 by my Department. The group ensures regular and open dialogue between government and industry on how best to achieve and maintain a sustainable and innovative construction sector positioned to deliver on the national development plan and Project Ireland 2040. It is made up of representatives of key industry bodies, as well as senior representatives of relevant Departments and agencies with responsibilities for policy and for the delivery of infrastructure. It is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. The construction sector group currently meets quarterly, with the most recent meeting of the group having taken place on Tuesday, 28 January 2025. The group discussed the following items at the meeting: an update on the work of the construction sector group innovation and digital adoption subgroup, procurement reforms, the Planning and Development Act 2024, construction skills and apprentices and an update on Project Ireland 2040 provided by the national investment office. A work programme for the construction sector group in 2025 has been developed by my officials following consultation with industry representatives and it will be formally noted at the next meeting of the group. Over the course of 2025, meetings of the group will focus on the following four priority themes: improving regulation and public procurement, supporting innovation and digital adoption, securing the skills pipeline and communicating the public investment pipeline. There was broad agreement among group members on these priority topics for inclusion in the 2025 work programme.
Sentiment score: 0.31
The latest meeting of the construction sector group received an update on some of what the Deputy mentioned. This included the proposed research on a pathway to having a 30% embodied carbon reduction in the construction sector, the development of a modern methods of construction data dashboard, which is nearing completion and the collaboration between Dublin City Council, DCC, and the Build Digital Project to progress the building information modelling in DCC. There was also reference to the Department of Education modular builds programme. Construct Innovate workshops are happening across March and April this year to align with that centre's next funding call to members. A call for proposals was also launched by Skillnet Ireland as a way to address the cost of training. A training needs analysis workshop was co-hosted with the Construction Industry Federation. The Build Digital Project was restructured into a thrive-up structure from quarter 2. There has, therefore, been engagement on what the Deputy referred to regarding modern methods of construction and that is a central focus. All this needs to lead to more supply, which is key.
Sentiment score: 0.17
The construction sector group is doing an element of that in the context of construction skills. The Planning and Development Act was obviously discussed, and modern methods of construction as well as other priority areas, which I have referenced, around digital adoption and productivity in the construction sector. However, a separate very serious piece of work is ongoing in the Department on establishing a new infrastructure division. That is all about removing the constraints, barriers, blockages and paralysis that exists in too many elements of the State when it comes to infrastructure delivery and housing supply in our economy. Its central focus will all be on that and how we match the increased level of ambition on capital investment in our economy with a very systematic view taken on all of the delays, which are just unacceptable. Across the House, all of us want to see investment leading to the project delivery happening in a much quicker and accelerated way. The whole focus of the infrastructure division is to do that centrally so that we try to unblock some of the delays that have been going on for too long.
Sentiment score: -0.00
As the Deputy is aware, we committed to updating the ethics in public office legislation in the recent programme for Government. This is on foot of a wide-ranging review the Deputy referred to on the legislative framework for ethics in public office my Department undertook during the last Government, the findings of which were published in February 2023. The report's recommendations include: the legislative framework for ethics should be underpinned by a set of overarching integrity principles; disclosure requirements should be strengthened to improve transparency; and consideration should be given to whether the regime should encompass more officeholders. The report also recommends a strengthening of SIPO. I am also conscious of recent further recommendations relating to ethics which will need to be considered in the context of this reform. This is a complex area which requires careful consideration. I intend to look in detail at the outstanding policy issues, including those I have outlined, and to have wider engagement with my officials on the most appropriate way to ensure the programme for Government commitment is fulfilled. My ultimate goal in this is to create a fit-for-purpose, easy to understand and user-friendly legislative ethical framework that contributes to the quality, efficacy and transparency of our system and builds on the strengths of our existing framework.
Sentiment score: 0.46
The first thing is to take into account the review that has happened and some of the more recent recommendations which have been made, and to have a policy consideration around those. Following that, what is set out in the context of the programme for Government is to give legislative underpinning to that. Once the policy matters have been bottomed out within my Department, which I am engaging on, I will be in a position to develop a draft scheme. This will be done in collaboration with the Attorney General. It will then be considered by the Oireachtas process in the context of pre-legislative scrutiny. I will be working on this as a legislative priority. I do not want to give the Deputy a particular date. What I will say is that it is an important priority for me as Minister. I want to fulfil the programme for Government commitments and ensure that we update the ethics in public office legislation and utilise the various external and internal reports that are there to underpin that work in the context of the reforms that have to be advanced.
Sentiment score: 0.13
That is why it has been set out as a priority in the programme for Government and why, in the first instance, we need to make sure that the policy framework that is developed can be reflected in a general scheme. At that point, we will have pre-legislative scrutiny and cross-party input in the Oireachtas. This is an important matter across the political system in terms of broader engagement. We know that other legislative measures were published previously. These were not advanced. As a result, I want to make sure that we fulfil the intention of the programme for Government and that legislation can be enacted. I am prioritising the particular policy inputs that we have. There are many of these in multiple reports and they need to be acted on in the context of the policy framework which will feed into a general scheme. We will be working with the Attorney General's office to produce that. We would welcome and value input from the Deputy and all Members of the Oireachtas in ensuring we can update the legislation in the best way possible. That is what my intention is in the role I have been given.
Sentiment score: 0.18