The Freedom of Information Act, 1997 (FoI Act) came into effect for central government departments and a number of significant public bodies on April 21, 1998. The Act will apply to local authorities and health boards from October 21, 1998. Now is anappropriate time to consider recent developments in FoI law andpractice and to discuss future directions in this important field.
The conference has two main objectives. First, to critically assess the first six months of the operation of the legislation. Secondly, to explore the practical implications of the FoI Act in a number of different contexts, including local government; health care; the media; and planning and environmental protection.
Conference papers will address issues of direct relevance to FoI users including: exempt records; disclosure in the public interest; FoI practice and procedure; time limits and remedies.
Who should attend?
The conference is aimed at a wide audience including civil servants,
local authority and health board personnel, journalists, lawyers, the medical
profession, social workers,and voluntary and community organisations. No
previousknowledge of FoI legislation is required or assumed. Questions
and comments from conference participants will be encouraged.
Friday, 16 October, 1998
Boole 1 Lecture Theatre
6.30 p.m. Registration
6.45 p.m. Welcome: Dr Michael P. Mortell, President of UCC
6.50 p.m. Opening Address: Martin Cullen, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance
Chair: Professor Dermot Keogh, History Department, UCC
7.00 p.m.
'Using the Freedom of Information Act, 1997'
Kevin Murphy, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner
7.25 pm
'Politics, journalism, the law and information'
Vincent Browne, journalist and barrister
7.50 p.m. Discussion
Staff Common Room
8.15 p.m.
Book launch sponsored by Round Hall Sweet and Maxwell
Freedom of Information Law in Ireland
by Maeve McDonagh,
Law Department, UCC
Guest Speaker: Kevin Murphy, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner
Saturday, 17 October, 1998
Chair: Professor Neil Collins, Department of Public Administration, UCC
9.30 a.m.
'The Freedom of Information Act and the Public Interest'
Maeve McDonagh,
Law Department, UCC
9.55 a.m.
'Implementing the Freedom of Information Act, 1997'
Gerry Kearney, Principal, Department of Finance
10.20 a.m. Discussion
10.45 a.m. Coffee
Chair: Jerry Healy, S.C.
11.15 a.m.
'Public Law Litigation after the Act'
Joe Noonan, Solicitor, Noonan Linehan Carroll Coffey
11.40 a.m.
'Implications for access to information on the environment'
Áine Ryall,
Law Department, UCC
12.05 p.m.
'Implications for local authorities'
Edward J.Breen, Waterford City Manager
12.35 p.m. Discussion
1.00 p.m. Lunch
Chair: John Edwards, S.C.
2.15 p.m.
'FoI and the medical journalist'
Fergal Bowers, Chief Reporter, Irish Medical News
2.40 p.m.
'Issues for Health Boards in Implementing FoI'
Pat Madden, Programme Manager and Judy Foley, Implementation Project
Manager for FoI, Southern Health Board
3.05 p.m. Discussion
3.30 p.m. Coffee
Chair: Cllr Eithne Fitzgerald, Department of Social Policy, UCD
Panellists
Senator Brendan Ryan
Deirdre Madden, Law Department, UCC
Áine Stapleton, Assistant Principal, Department of Finance
Rory Godson, Ireland Editor, Sunday Times
Dick Haslam, former lecturer in Public Administration UCC and Limerick
County Manager
5.00 p.m. Conference Close: Professor David Gwynn Morgan, Law Department, UCC.
Conference Fee - £50
Optional lunch - £10
Concession rates: Note that these rates do not include the conference lunch. Participants from voluntary and community organisations - £25. UCC Staff - £25. Students/unwaged £5.
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I enclose conference fee £ __________ +Optional lunch £ __________ Total £ __________To register, please send the appropriate fee to
Cheques should be made payable to the Law Department, UCC.
Early registration is advised. Register by Monday, 12 October to reserve
a place for the conference lunch.
Accommodation Information - Click here
Travel Information - Click here [Rail and bus timetables]
12 October 1998
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http://www.ucc.ie/ucc/depts/law/foi/conference/prog.html
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