Publication
Media Release: Annual Report 2025
From Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC)
Published on
Last updated on
Information Commissioner, Ger Deering, has highlighted the continued increase in the number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made to public bodies and the corresponding demand on his Office which reviews decisions made by public bodies under the FOI Act. The Act provides a number of rights for the public including a right to access records held by public bodies.
Speaking on the publication of his Annual Report for 2025, the Commissioner said that 46,277 FOI requests were made to public bodies, including government departments, health sector bodies and local authorities, in 2025 - an increase of 11% on 2024, and a 65% increase since the FOI legislation was amended in 2014.
Applications to the Information Commissioner to review decisions of public bodies made under the FOI Act also saw an increase - up 53% since the 2014 amended legislation.
The HSE received the most FOI requests in 2025 (14,760), with the Department of Social Protection receiving 2,610 requests.
Full Media Release here
