Section 16 Manual

Making review applications to the Office of the Information Commissioner

1.1 If you wish the Information Commissioner to review a decision made by a public body under the FOI Acts you must make the application for review in writing and address it to:

Office of the Information Commissioner
18 Lower Leeson Street
Dublin 2
Fax : 01 639 5676
E Mail : info@oic.ie
Phone : 01 639 5689 or Lo Call 1890 22 30 30

The application should :

  • state your name, address, telephone number and any other contact details,
  • include the appropriate fee for application to the Information Commissioner (see 2.0 below),
  • include any supporting information if you believe that no fee or a reduced fee is applicable (see 2.1 below).
  • state the name of the public body to which the FOI request was made,
  • include the reference number of the public body's decision (if available) and
  • state any particular aspect of the public body's decision that you are unhappy with.

Applications should be made not later than 6 months after the notification of the decision. However, the application must be made not later than two weeks after the notification of the decision (i) if the decision is a decision on a request to which section 29 applies (see Appendix 3) or (ii) if the decision is made to extend the time limit taken for considering the request under section 9 (see section 4.16 for further information).

Please note that an application to the Information Commissioner is deemed not to have been made until it is received in the Office.

1.2 Alternatively, a standard application form is available on request from the Office or by calling to the Office in person (see Appendix 4). The Commissioner will endeavour to conclude all reviews within the four month guideline provided for in the FOI Acts.

1.3 Applications can be made either by the individual concerned or by another person on behalf of the individual (e.g. a solicitor or relative). In the latter case, written authorisation to act on the applicant's behalf may be requested. The person making the application will be informed that the review will not be completed until receipt of such authorisation.

Note : Applications made on behalf of a person other than an individual e.g. applications made on behalf of a body such as a newspaper, private company, etc. will be regarded as being made by that body or organisation If, for example, at the conclusion of the Commissioner's review the individual who made the application on behalf of the body no longer acts on behalf of that body then all correspondence will be addressed to an appropriate individual in that body or organisation.

1.4 Recording the date of applications
All post received in the Office will be date-stamped immediately on receipt to enable compliance with the time limits set out in the Acts to be monitored.

1.5 Where a written application for review is received by the Office outside of office hours, i.e. outside the hours of 9.15 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9.15 a.m. to 5.15 p.m. Friday, it will be deemed to have been received on the next day on which the Office is open.

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