How to Apply

How to apply for information under Freedom of Information Act.

You are entitled to apply for access to information not otherwise publicly available.

You have a right to :

• Access to the following records held by or under the control of Laois County Council unless such records are exempted under the Act.
• All records created after commencement of this Act i.e. 21st October 1998,
• Such records created before that date as may be required to understand records created after commencement of the Act,
• Personal records regardless of when created,
• If you are a staff member, personnel records created from a date 3 years before commencement of the Act.
• Access to reasons for decisions made directly affecting yourself.
• Seek correction of personal information relating to you, held by Laois County Council where it is inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading.

Applications for information under this Act should be addressed to:

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER,
LAOIS COUNTY COUNCIL,
ÁRAS AN CHONTAE,
PORTLAOISE,
CO. LAOIS.

Phone : (057) 864242
Fax : (057) 8622313
Email : corpaffairs@laoiscoco.ie

Your request should be in writing (a request sent by Fax or Email to the number/address indicated above is acceptable) and should indicate that the information is sought under the Freedom of Information Act. Any request that is submitted must be accompanied by the appropriate fee.

If you wish to receive the information in any particular form e.g. photocopy, computer disk etc., you should indicate this in your request.
Please give as much detail as possible to enable the Council to identify the records to which you require access. If you have difficulty in identifying the precise records which you require, the council will be happy to assist you in preparing your request. The Council must issue an acknowledgement of having received your request within two weeks of receiving it.
A decision in relation to your request must be made within four weeks of it being received unless the request relates to such number of records that compliance within the specified time is not reasonably possible. If this is the case you may be required to give the Council a time extension not exceeding a further four weeks in order to afford the Council the opportunity to deal with the request. You must be notified of the period of the time extension required and the reasons for which the Council needs the extension of time.

RIGHTS OF REVIEW AND APPEAL:

The Freedom of Information Act sets out appeal mechanisms in the event of a refusal of a request, or in relation to deferral of access, charges, form of access etc. Details of these appeal mechanisms are as follows:

Internal Review:
You may seek Internal Review of the initial decision, which will be carried out by an official at a higher level if you are dissatisfied with the initial response received i.e. refusal of information, form of access, charges etc. 

If you have not received a reply within four weeks of submitting your initial application it is deemed to have been refused and you are then entitled to proceed directly to the  Internal Review procedure.

Requests for an Internal Review should be submitted in writing to the appropriate Director of Services. Requests for an Internal Review should be accompanied by a €75 fee. Laois County Council must complete the Internal Review procedure within three weeks of receiving the request. An Internal Review must normally be completed before any further appeal may be made to the Information Commissioner.

REVIEW BY THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER:
You may seek an independent review by the Information Commissioner if:

• following the completion of the Internal Review procedure, you are dissatisfied with the decision or,
• you have not received a reply to your request for Internal review within 3 weeks of submitting your application. This is deemed to be a refusal and you may appeal the matter to the Commissioner.

Appeals in writing may be made directly to the Information Commissioner at the following address:

OFFICE OF THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER,

18, LOWER LEESON STREET,

DUBLIN 2.

Phone : 01 6785222
Fax : 01 6610570
Email : ombudsman@ombudsman.irlgov.ie

A fee of €150.00 must accompany any request that is sent to the Information Commissioner seeking the conduct of an independent review.