Institute of Technology Carlow

Welcome to the Freedom of Information Unit in the Institute of Technology Carlow. The Regulations extending the Freedom of Information Act 1997 to the Institute were signed on 22nd October 2001 and are now in effect. In order to ensure that the Institute can meet its obligations under the Act, a Freedom of Information Unit was established. The unit is responsible for assisting students, staff and the public in exercising their rights under the Freedom of Information Act.

What is Freedom of Information?

The Freedom of Information Act confers on individuals a right of access to information held in the Institute's records, a right to have official information relating to them amended where it is incomplete, incorrect or misleading and a right to have made known to them the reasons for decisions that have materially affected them. The Act will not impose changes in the Institute's objectives or functions.

It will, however, mean:

• the processing of requests for access to information within strict time limits;
• the publication of information about the Institute's functions, structure, the services it provides, the records it holds and of all procedures, practices and guidelines used in decision-making;
• some changes in the way in which records are created, maintained and used and the way in which decision-making processes and their outcomes are formulated and recorded.

In order to provide greater access for the general community to information about how the Institute operates, as well as to aid individuals in framing requests, the Institute has published under sections 15 and 16 of the Act, two reference guides. The guide published under section 15, gives information on, details of how to make a request, when and how the information will be communicated to the requester, the fee structure for processing requests where applicable, and the rights of review and appeal in the event of the requester being dissatisfied at the outcome. It also contains details of the Institute's functions, its organisational structure, the services it provides and the classes of records it holds.
The second guide, under section 16, is an information guide to the rules, guidelines and procedures of the Institute of Technology Carlow.

Contacts

Ms Paula Butler, BA (Hons)
Freedom of Information Officer

Room: Development Office
T: 059-917-5083
E: communications