Freedom of Information (Amendment) Act 2003

Amendment of section 22 (parliamentary, court and certain other matters) of Principal Act.

17.—Section 22 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) in subsection (1), by substituting the following paragraph for paragraph (b):

“(b) is such that the head knows or ought reasonably to have known that its disclosure would constitute contempt of court, or”,

and

(b) by inserting the following subsections after subsection (1):

“(1A) A head may refuse to grant a request under section 7 if the record concerned relates to the appointment or proposed appointment, or the business or proceedings, of—

(a) a tribunal to which the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 applies,

(b) any other tribunal or other body or individual appointed by the Government or a Minister of the Government to inquire into specified matters at least one member, or the sole member, of which holds or has held judicial office or is a barrister or a solicitor, or

(c) any tribunal or other body or individual appointed by either or both of the Houses of the Oireachtas to inquire into specified matters,

and the request is made at a time when it is proposed to appoint the tribunal, body or individual or at a time when the performance of the functions of the tribunal, body or individual has not been completed.

(1B) Subsection (1A) does not apply to a record in so far as it relates to the general administration of, or of any offices of, a tribunal or other body or an individual specified in that subsection.”.