Rights of Review and Appeal
The Freedom of Information Act 2014 sets out appeal mechanisms in the event of a refusal of a request, or in relation to deferral of access, charges, form of access etc.
Details of these appeal mechanisms are outlined below.
INTERNAL REVIEW
You can ask for an Internal Review of the initial decision, which will be carried out by an official at a higher level, if:
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you are unhappy with the initial response received i.e. refusal of information, form of access, charges etc., or,
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you do not receive a reply within four weeks of your initial application. This is regarded as a refusal of your request and allows you to proceed to Internal Review.
Requests for an Internal Review, accompanied by the appropriate fee (detailed below), should be submitted within four weeks of our initial decision to:
Mr. John Condon
Director of Services
Mayo County Council
Áras an Chontae
The Mall
Castlebar
Co Mayo
F23 WF90
Email: foi@mayococo.ie
Phone: 094 9064000
Our offices are open between 9.00 am and 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm and 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
We must complete this review within three weeks. An Internal Review must normally be completed before an appeal may be made to the Information Commissioner.
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A standard fee of €30 must accompany your application for Internal Review (except in the case of personal information).
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A reduced fee of €10 applies if you are a medical card holder or a dependant of a medical card holder (except in the case of personal information).
If your review relates specifically to a decision by us to impose a search and retrieval charge or a charge for copying records, no appeal fee applies.
REVIEW BY THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER:
You can request an independent review by the Information Commissioner if:
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following completion of our Internal Review procedure, you are dissatisfied with the decision; or
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you have not received a reply to your request for Internal Review within 3 weeks of your application. This is regarded as a refusal of your request for Internal Review and you may appeal the matter to the Commissioner.
Appeals in writing, accompanied by the appropriate fee (detailed below) may be made directly to the Information Commissioner at the following address:
Office of the Information Commissioner
6 Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 2
D02 W773
Phone: 01 639 5689
Email: info@oic.ie
Website: www.oic.ie
The Office of the Information Commissioner is open between 9.15 am and 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
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A standard fee of €50 must accompany your application for review (except in the case of personal information).
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A reduced fee of €15 applies if you are a medical card holder or a dependant of a medical card holder (except in the case of personal information).
If your appeal relates specifically to a decision by Mayo County Council to impose a search and retrieval charge, or a charge for copying records, no appeal fee applies.