Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act, 1997, which was applied to the National Treatment Purchase Fund from 31 May 2006, provides that every person has the following legal rights:

  • the right to access official records held by public bodies prescribed under the Act;
  • the right to have personal information held on them corrected or updated where such information is incomplete, incorrect or misleading; and
  • the right to be given reasons for decisions taken by public bodies that affect them.

The Act asserts the right of members of the public to obtain access to official information to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy of individuals.

Our Freedom of Information Manual has been prepared and published in accordance with the requirements under Section 15 and 16 of the Act. Its purpose is to facilitate access to official information held by the Agency by outlining: 

The structure and functions of the National Treatment Purchase Fund 

  • Details of the services provided by the National Treatment Purchase Fund
  • Information on the classes of records held
  • Information on how to make a request to the National Treatment Purchase Fund under the Freedom of Information Act 1997
  • A guide to the rules and procedures of the National Treatment Purchase Fund

For further information please view the Freedom of Information Manual (PDF) >>>

NOTE:

Tuesday 14th October saw the signing of the Freedom of Information Act 2014. All new FOI requests will be considered under the new Act from Tuesday 16th October. The manual will be updated shortly in line with this new Act. One change of note relating to fees is outlined below.

The fees to be charged are set out below. Other than in relation to the initial application fee, all of the new fees should be charged from 16th October. The €15 initial application fee was abolished from Tuesday.

  • No €15 initial application fee applies since the Bill was enacted;
  • There is a minimum threshold of €100 below which no search, retrieval and copying fees can be charged. Once the charge exceeds €100, full fees apply;
  • There is a cap on the amount of search, retrieval and copying fees that can be charged of €500;
  • There is a further upper limit on estimated search, retrieval and copying fees at €700 above which an FOI body can refuse to process a request, unless the requester is prepared to refine the request to bring the search, retrieval and copying fees below the limit;
  • The fee for internal review under Section 21 is now €30 (€10 for medical card holders and their dependants)
  • The fee for appeals to the Information Commissioner under Section 22 is now €50 (€15 for medical card holders and their dependants).