McCreevy withdraws FoI Act amendment

The Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, has unexpectedly withdrawn a proposed amendment to the Freedom of Information Act.

The section which is now to be dropped could have restricted the range of records which would be available to individuals, particularly to those who had spent time in residential institutions.

The controversial section, proposing that only documents 'containing' personal information could be released, had been opposed by the 'One in Four' group representing survivors of abuse in residential institutions.

Mr McCreevy argued that the situation was fraught with legal uncertainty and that he was acting on the basis of legal advice available to him on the basis of an earlier High Court judgement.

However, after a lengthy argument at the committee stage of the bill last night, Mr McCreevy said he accepted the points put forward by the opposition and he would be withdrawing the section.

The current situation, that records 'relating to' personal information are accessible, will remain in place.

Labour's Joan Burton said she was delighted by the move, which she described as a vindication of the campaign her party had lead against changes in the FOI Act.

She said Minister McCreevy was to be congratulated for recognising that this particular change would have discriminated against many vulnerable individuals such as those represented by 'One in Four'.