RTE and IDA slammed for using legal eagles to answer FoI requests

State bodies, including RTÉ and IDA Ireland, face criticism for outsourcing Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to expensive legal firms. This practice is described as contrary to the legislative spirit, which mandates direct accountability and in-house handling of transparency requests. By shifting this duty to external lawyers, these agencies create unnecessary barriers to public access and demonstrate poor stewardship of taxpayer funds. The reliance on outside legal resources raises significant concerns regarding value for money. Since these bodies have not sought additional government funding to build internal capacity, it suggests a deliberate choice to prioritize outsourcing over developing in-house expertise. This approach not only wastes public resources but also undermines the principle that public records should be accessible to citizens without impediment. This situation is critically relevant to open data advocates because it highlights a systemic failure in data accessibility. When administrative processes are deliberately obfuscated or made costly through legal outsourcing, the core tenets of transparency and openness are compromised. Ensuring that FoI responses are handled efficiently and internally is essential for maintaining public trust and upholding the integrity of open information systems.

Source: irishmirror.ie
Published on 2023-08-12

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