The Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Martin Cullen TD today announced a wide-ranging extension of the
FOI Act across the public service.

The Minister said that from next year, the FOI Act will apply to additional bodies across the following sectors:

ENTERPRISE SECTOR

FÁS, Health & Safety Authority

FORÁS, National Standards Authority of Ireland

Enterprise Ireland, Labour Relations Commission

IDA, Shannon Free Airport Development Ltd.

PUBLIC ENTERPRISE

Telecom Regulator

Electricity Regulator

CULTURAL/BROADCASTING

RTE Independent Radio and Television Commission

Teilifís na Gaeilge The Arts Council

EDUCATION

Universities

HEALTH

Agencies in receipt of significant funding providing services to persons with a physical disability

ENVIRONMENT

National Safety Council An Comhairle Leabharlann

Local Government Computer Services Board Fire Services Council

SOCIAL SERVICES

Combat Poverty Agency

National Social Services Board

The Social Welfare Tribunal

Welcoming the Government decision on the extension of the Act, Minister Cullen referred to the successful implementation of the Act
in Ireland.

"We have become a model of best practice for other jurisdictions", the Minister said. He has just returned from the UK having briefed a
Joint Committee of the Houses of Parliament and Lord Williams, the Home Office Minister with responsibility for FOI on the Irish
experience.

"All the Committee Members present were extremely interested in the methods and procedures we put in place here in Ireland to
successfully implement the Act". My message was quiet simple, Minister Cullen said, "I pointed out that FOI is good for public
administration, good for public confidence and good for politics and democracy".

The Minister added that the extension of the FOI Act demonstrated the Government's commitment to progressively ensuring that
our public bodies are made more accountable to the Irish public whom they serve.