Stormont has been sending out some hostile messages on the Freedom of
Information (FOI) Act - leading to concerns that politicians may try to
water down the legislation.
That's why protection of FOI has been included as one of the five points of
the "Open Stormont" campaign.
Last October, First Minister Ian Paisley attacked the use of the Act by "
lazy journalists".
He also stated: "If, in collating evidence on how the current
procedures are working, the departments discover that reform is needed - and
I think they will - it will have to take place."
This came after the Belfast Telegraph had used FOI to reveal lobbying by the
DUP leader in support of developer Seymour Sweeney.
Written questions on the costs of FOI have been tabled at the Assembly in
recent months.
Answering one such question in December, Finance Minister Peter Robinson
said: "The Department of Finance and Personnel, in common with all
Northern Ireland Departments, has not calculated or recorded information on
the cost of individual FOI requests to date and therefore no information is
available.
"However, I have commissioned some analysis that may better inform the
costings associated with the Freedom of Information process."
Open government advocates point out that greater transparency would cut down
the need for individual FOI requests, as more information would
automatically be placed in the public domain by the authorities.
Diluting Freedom of Information rights would face serious opposition.
It applies in England and Wales as well as Northern Ireland, so a major
piece of Assembly legislation would be needed to alter its workings.
There is no sign at this stage that the necessary cross party support exists
for such a bid.
The aim of the "Open Stormont" campaign is to persuade all
politicians not to try to dilute FOI.
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