Department of Finance
Freedom of Information Central Policy Unit

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

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 has applied to local authorities and health boards since October 21, 1998. Now is an appropriate time to review the implementation of the Act and to consider recent developments in FOI law and practice.

The conference has two main objectives. First, to critically assess the first year 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; media; and the voluntary sector. Conference papers will address topics of direct relevance to FOI administrators and users including: implementation issues; decisions of the Information Commissioner; the duty to give reasons; fulfilling the requirem ents of sections 15 & 16; and comparative analysis.

Who should attend?
The conference is aimed at a wide audience including civil servants, local authority and health board personnel, lawyers, journalists, the medical profession, social workers and voluntary and community organisations. Questions and comments from conference participants will be encouraged.

09.00 a.m. Registration

Chairperson: Professor Dermot Keogh, History Department, UCC

09.30 a.m. Martin Cullen T.D. Minister of State at the Department of Finance "FOI — One Year On"

09.45 a.m. Kevin Murphy, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner "FOI — The Commissioner's Experience of the First Year"

10.00 a.m. Brief presentations by the following:

• Martin Shanagher, FOI Liaison Officer, Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment; Chairman, Civil Service Users Network "The FOI Act — The Experience To Date of the Civil Service"
• Leonie Lunny, Director, National Social Service Board "Freedom of Information: the Information Provider and the Citizen"
• Mary Barrett, FOI Central Policy Unit "The Role of Networks in the Decision Making Process in the Wider Public Service"
• Rory Godson, Ireland Editor, The Sunday Times "An Editor's Experience of FOI"

10.40 a.m. Panel discussion

11.00 a.m. Coffee

Chairperson: Gerry Kearney, FOI Central Policy Unit, Department of Finance

11.15 a.m. Brief presentations by the following:

• Maeve McDonagh, Law Department, UCC "FOI in Ireland: A Promise Fulfilled?"
• Aidan Maher, Head of FOI Unit, Dublin Corporation "The Experience of FOI in a Large Local Authority"
• Darius Whelan, Law Department, UCC "Publication of Information by Public Bodies Under Sections 15 & 16"
• Hugh Reilly, FOI Officer, North Eastern Health Board "Six Months Later — FOI in the Health Boards"
• Áine Ryall, Law Department, UCC "Section 18 — The Duty to Give Reasons for Decisions"
• Rick Snell, FOI Unit, Law Faculty, University of Tasmania; Visiting Lecturer, Law Department, UCC "Administrative Compliance and Freedom of Information in Three Jurisdictions: Australia, Canada and New Zealand"

12.15 p.m. Panel discussion

12.50 p.m. Conference Close

01.00 p.m. Lunch

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