Goals

This is a list of items we wish to see implemented. It is not complete, and will be added to. We are inspired by projects such as Public Equals Online and wish to see such initiatives happen here.

1) Return the Freedom of Information Act to its position pre the 2003 amendments. Do not charge the public to access information we already pay to collect and store.

In the 2014 Act the Government removed the €15 upfront fee. Appeal fees were reduced, not eliminated.

2) Extend the Act to cover more institutions and organisations, especially An Garda Siochana.

Gardai are now subject to FOI, but only to a limited extent.

3) The placing of all expenses/expenditure online as soon as practically possible after the money is spent. This could be easily done given the IT system in use already. “The backend is the frontend.” This is not just politician expenses, but all expenses.

4) The digitisation of far more Government data than is currently available. This might include simple machine readable feeds. This helps with a thing called transparency.

11 thoughts on “Goals”

  1. Just came across your site after linking from the Ireland Subreddit. I’m 30ish, Irish and shocked these things aren’t already in place. I’d just like to say well done and keep up the good work. These are excellent goals, and a nice simple site.

  2. I too would like to see so many organisations active in public life be made accountable and transparent in their dealings with the public.
    Organisations in receipt of public money should be accountable, particularly charities and groups taking funding directly from tax payers.
    At present there appears to be little accountability as so many of these groups are outside the remit of FOI.

  3. Just another busybody wil little to do. More time will be spent combing through old records just to satisfy curiousity of outfits like this, rather than delivering services. In a time of limited resources, you cannot have it both ways, delivery of services or spend your time navel gazing -Which is it to be.

    Another question -what is this guy’s agenda, all these people prattling on about accountability, they often have hidden and self-serving agenda’s when all the dust is wiped away.

  4. Our Goals

    Aspirations and having goals are all excellent moral exercises.
    That is the what ? part.
    Is there a how chapter?
    A plan of action?
    May I suggest the simple route of forming an interest group and lobbying political support.

  5. Agree entirely with your aims – as an interim measure!!!
    I am in awe of your work. Long may you continue.

    I see FoI as one ot the checks and balances to limit the scope for excess (of action or inaction) by the powerful – be they public or private, elected or appointed, local/national/transnational.

    To copper fasten this I am convinced that we need to cut-and-paste the words which guarantee Freedom of Information in Sweden into Article 9 of our 1937 Constitution. For those seeing more more detail, the following may be of interest
    http://politicalreform.ie/2010/06/21/freedom-of-information-and-corruption/

    These support the aims of this forum ie. repeal the 2003 FoI Act
    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2012/0710/1224319720550.html

    Ihttp://www.thejournal.ie/readme/column-cronyism-and-corruption-%E2%80%93-one-quick-change-would-help-fight-them/

    http://politicalreform.ie/2011/09/09/open-letter-to-tds-and-senators/

  6. Alerted to your brilliant work by recent article in The Sunday Business Post Magazine. Definitely worth a donation and will be following.
    Can I just make a plea that our nation cannot afford to let this quality, intelligent, authentic Irish newspaper go down – for me online browsing is no substitute for a printed publication where I can better concentrate on, and absorb important information such as given by thestory.ie

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