On August 30 I sought information on all TD and Senate expense from 1998 to 2008. On September 14 I blogged about this effort, and again on September 16.
As of now the situation is this: the Oireachtas is due to release all expenses data from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2008, for all TDs and Senators. However, we desire a complete record of all expenses claimed. To that end, we submitted an FOI request for all expenses data for 2002 and 2001, with a view to eventually seeking 2000 and 1999/1998. This would include complete calendar years, rather than simply previously released FOI data, which does not cover the entirety of the years in question.
Today we were informed that under Section 10 (1) (c) of the Act, the deciding officer believes that “granting the request would by reason of such number of records or an examination of such kind of records concerned as to cause substantial and unreasonable interference with or disruption of work of the public body concerned”.
However they have said they would release previously released FOI data.
We are mulling this one over.
Don’t these Departments all now have dedicated FOI officers? Surely then getting this information is now actually their job rather than it interfering with any other work?
Could you organise a few people to make individual smaller FOI requests, which could then be added together to get the same info?
Unfortunately there’s a clause against vexactious campaigns or groups acting in concert… wouldn’t be possible.
I suggest you make a file of these FOI responses, the money being demanded, and the hurdles that have to be jumped, and forward it to the Ombudsman asking her for a direction on the matter.
There’s something odd with those figures.
None of the additional salaries for ministers or junior ministers appear in the data you’ve been given. Why have the ministerial allowances (see explanatory document, item 2.1) been excluded from the data?