The Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, today announced that the Freedom of Information Act has been extended to include 18 additional public bodies.

"This latest extension of FOI, coupled with planned future extensions, confirm the Government's commitment to its extension to all appropriate public bodies", said the Minister.

"By the end of this year, it is anticipated that some 360 public bodies will be subject to Freedom of Information, compared to 67 when the FOI Act came into force in April 1998", the Minister concluded.

Ends


Bodies to which the FOI Act now applies




1. Agency for Personal Service Overseas.

2. Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge.

3. Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited.

4. Chester Beatty Library.

5. Commission for Aviation Regulation.

6. Information Society Commission.

7. Irish Film Board.

8. Irish Museum of Modern Art.

9. Legal Aid Board.

10. National Centre for Partnership and Performance.

11. National Committee for Development Education.

12. National Concert Hall.

13. National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism.

14. National Disability Authority.

15. National Economic and Social Council.

16. National Economic and Social Forum.

17. National Statistics Board.

18. Victim Support.