These FOI website pages are intended to assist members of the public, journalists, staff and students of TU Dublin in answering Freedom of Information Requests.
Introduction
The main objective of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 is to foster and develop a culture of openness, transparency and accountability in TU Dublin.
The FOI Act provides for members of the public to gain access to records held by TU Dublin subject to certain conditions which are described on these pages.
FOI Legislation:
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014, which was signed into law on 14 October 2014, repealed the 1997 and 2003 Acts. Under the Act anyone is entitled to apply for access to information not otherwise publicly available from TU Dublin.
The FOI Act 2014 provides that every person has the following three legal rights:
- The right to access official records held by TU Dublin prescribed under Freedom of Information Act 2014, Section 12 (irishstatutebook.ie)
- The right to have personal information held on them corrected or updated where such information is incomplete, incorrect or misleading under Freedom of Information Act 2014, Section 9 (irishstatutebook.ie)
- The right to be given reasons for decisions taken by TU Dublin that affect them under Freedom of Information Act 2014, Section 10 (irishstatutebook.ie)
These rights are supported by an internal review and an external appeal procedure to the Office of the Information Commissioner.
Information available to you under the FOI Act 2014
The following records come within the scope of the FOI Acts:
- all records relating to personal information held by TU Dublin irrespective of when they were created.
- all other records created from the commencement of the FOI Act (21 April 1998).
- any records necessary to the understanding of a current record even if created prior to 21 April 1998.
- personnel records of serving staff created from 21st April, 1995 and those created prior to that date where being used or proposed to be used in a way which adversely affects or may affect the person involved.
The release of records is subject to the provisions of the University’s Records Retention Schedule.
However, in order to allow TU Dublin business to be properly conducted, it will sometimes be necessary to exempt from release certain types of information in some circumstances. These are set out in Part 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014.
Requests may also be refused if they are deemed too voluminous or unclear but TU Dublin is obliged to assist the requester in trying to overcome this.
The Freedom of Information Act 2014 can be viewed at: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/act/30/enacted/en/html
Further Information:
If you have any queries or require clarification on any aspect of Freedom of Information, please contact the FOI Officer / Information Governance Office:
- By email: foi@tudublin.ie
- In writing: Information Governance Office, TU Dublin, Blanchardstown Campus, Blanchardstown Rd N, Blanchardstown, Dublin, D15 YV78
- Tel: TU Dublin Tallaght +353 2207453 / TU Dublin Blanchardstown +353 1 220 7225