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THE GOVERNMENT HAS promised that it will update its way of dealing with Freedom of Information requests to take into account the increased use of computers and the drop in the use of paper records.
Under the new Freedom of Information Bill 2013 which was published by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin last night, existing laws are to be significantly expanded to cover more public bodies and take into account changes in how records are stored.
However the €15 price of submitting a request – which has been criticised by some transparency campaigners – will remain in place.
Brendan Howlin said that the new laws will reverse the restrictions on FoI introduced by the Fianna Fáil-led government in 2003.
Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly said that the new legislation was a good move for transparency but said the full effectiveness will only become clear when people start using the laws to make requests for information.
Speaking on RTE Radio One’s Morning Ireland, O’Reilly said that Minister Brendan Howlin had “had to fight quite a battle” with some public bodies to ensure that they were covered by the new laws.
The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA), the Central Bank and An Garda Siochána will all be subject to FoI requests for the first time.
O’Reilly said that other bodies may fall under the legislation in future but that there needed to be a discussion about how much public money an organisation receives before it is subject to FoI laws.
The new FOI bill will be enacted in the autumn. Some amendments are being made to ensure that highly sensitive security and intelligence information is protected, as well as the refusal of information if it would have a serious effect on the management of the financial interests of the State, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said.
The change to the FoI laws is the biggest in a decade after the existing legislation was significantly restricted by the government of the time in 2003.
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There’s an awful lot of this happening the past week or maybe it’s just that its being reported on. Hope the staff recover soon :)
How the hell does one make a get away from the blanch centre? I have never managed to get away from it in less than twenty minutes! Hope the chap is ok
Sc um bags.
Not much use to the guys who took the cash as they will have dye packs that will explode after s couple of minutes hope it blinds the snackers!
They can change the money in the cash machines in the likes of the leisure plex. Machines can pick up on the dye.
Nope my friend its easily removed place the cash box in hot water with loads of colour catcher and bleach, dye is removed from all notes apart from fivers because they are a low quality note … I’m sure this comment will be removed but it a fact !
Was he not wearing his company issue helmet ?
That probably why his injuries arent serious..
So helmet will take full impact of axe or iron bar across the head? ?
I love the level of intelligence on many commentators.
Wish the man a speedy recovery
Where does it say “Axe” in the story?
Where did the not say axe or iron bar?. Your hardly gonna hold up a security van with a foot long floppy rubber dildo are you?
Rumour has it they don’t wear them anymore as they had issues from being blindsided when being robbed. Hope they guy is ok dangerous work for little money.
Gaurdian
I asked a relevant question, i didnt make a statement, as for the helmet, i have seen more CIT staff with no helmet carrying boxs of cash in and out of busines’s and ATM machines than i have seen with a helmet. So if he was not wearing it, and i repeat, “not wearing” it then his trip to the hospital might well have been avoided, on a seperate issue who are you to pass judgement on my level of inteligence, did you notice the question mark at the end of my original question, this indicates i was asking a question, and you dont say ” I love the level of intelligence on many commentators” the correct grammer is “I love the level of intelligence of many commentators”
Did they shout “YOU WILL NOT TAKE OUR FREEDOM!!” before or after the robbery?
Dorry John for getting your back on the level of your common sense. Which would kind of lead you to the common sense conclusion that policy would be they wear P.P.E out of secure van. Oh apologies thats personal protective equipment. Standard for health and safety reasons and regardless of rumour must be worn.
So again I say the level of intelligent input in this site is sadly lacking at times. Thank you so very much for pointing that out.
Also grammatically you will have to take that up with the lovely auto correct system designers for Samsung.
Sorry *** case in point about auto correction
Also should be *******getting your back up******
@John Meade. Grammar not grammer.
how blanch Security didn’t spot the two guys with all the cameras they have. The two men were hiding in the bushes net to that atm, when the van pulled up they go out and attacked. I am sure some people seen the guys in the bushes but didn’t think twice about them.
Yrs ago I was arriving at the centre on a bus and I seen a car parked up on the path outside the post office doors with 4 men sitting inside .. U could clearly see them dressed in black with balaclavas and a gun .. How security didn’t go to check why the car was parked up on the path that far in is strange … They need to get proper security gaurds !
guys with guns with nothing to lose, a security guard unarmed with everything to lose, they made the right choice, why would they risk their life for money thats insured
They are too busy harassing teenagers and acting like Hartman .. Wana be coppers
I didn’t mean I expectd them to approach them with guns , my point was that the security did notice them in the first place .. Which shouldn’t have been hard as we’re the car was is a footpath in from the road a bit should have been easily noticed and it wasn’t !
Just driving the 7 min drive home and saw eight “02 D” black BMWs. Wonder which one it was…
I was in the UK recently, I noticed G4S staff there wearing helmets & body armour/stab vest? I wonder why they don’t supply them for their staff here…I don’t think Dublin is any less dangerous than London? Anyway, hope the security guy has a speedy recovery. Tough job.
I was in the UK recently, I noticed that G4S staff there wear helmets & body armour/stab vests. I wonder why they don’t provide them for their staff here in Ireland? I don’t think Dublin is any less dangerous. Anyway, I hope the security guy has a speedy recovery. Tough job.
Did someone say stroked jammer?
well said Aaron
have your say