Collection
Freedom of Information
From Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (OCEI)
Published on
Last updated on
From Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (OCEI)
Published on
Last updated on
The OCEI is a partially excluded body for the purposes of the Act (as provided in Schedule 1, section 6, Part 1of that Act). This means that records held by the OCEI which relate to specific appeals (as opposed to records concerning the general administration of the OCEI’s functions) are not required by law to be made available to the public. You may request records concerning the general administration of the OCEI.
To request records from the OCEI, please write to us stating that you are making a request under the FOI Act 2014. You should email your request to info@ocei.ie or post it to the FOI Officer, Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information, 6 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 W773.
Please provide as much information as possible to help us to find what you are looking for. If you want it in a particular format (for example: a photocopy, transcript, computer disc; or if you want to examine it at our office) you should state this clearly in your request. If you are looking for an amendment to a record, your request should identify the record concerned and the amendment required.
We will, if appropriate, offer to help you to make your request and we may contact you to clarify what you are looking for. In particular, we will assist a requester who has a disability if we can.
In certain circumstances fees are charged under the FOI Act. There is no fee for making an initial FOI request; the fee for an internal review is €30, or €10 for the holder of a medical card. If a fee is payable in respect of request for an internal review, you may pay by cheque, bank draft or postal order.
Once we receive a request we will make a decision within four weeks. We will issue the decision to you in writing, and will specify whether your request is being granted, part-granted or refused and why.
If you are dissatisfied with the decision or if after the four weeks you have not received a decision (a ‘refusal by non-reply’) you can ask for an 'internal review' of the decision.
An 'internal review' is an appeal mechanism whereby an OCEI officer who is more senior than the individual who made the decision on your original request reviews the decision given. To request an internal review you must write to us referring to the decision received (if one was made) and state that you are asking for an internal review of that decision.
You cannot raise new issues in your request for an internal review. The sole purpose of the review is for another officer to reconsider the decision on your original request only. You can expect a decision within three weeks of us receiving your request.
You may appeal the internal review decision within six months to the Office of the Information Commissioner. All appeals should be in writing and emailed to info@oic.ie, or delivered or posted to the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information, 6 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 W773.
A fee of €50 (€15 for medical card holders) may apply, but there is no fee for an appeal concerning only personal information relating to you or in relation to a decision to impose a fee or deposit.
When the Office of the Information Commissioner notifies you of its decision on your appeal, it will at the same time provide you with information on your right to appeal to the courts.