What happens if the Department
If you wish to complain please write to:
does not have the information I
Departmental Information Manager
want?
Room 6.20
We may not hold the information you
Department of the Environment
request and the legislation does not
Clarence Court
require us to gather information that is
Adelaide Street
not already there. However, it is possible
Belfast BT2 8GB
that another public authority may hold the
If you are still dissatisfied after the
information and we can transfer your
internal review you can request a review
request to it. Before doing so, we would
by the Information Commissioner.
contact you to obtain your agreement. It
is also possible that we may have had
Where can I get more information
the information at one time but that it has
about the legislation?
been lawfully destroyed, in which case
we will tell you.
More information about the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 and the
What if I am refused information?
Environmental Regulations 2004 is
If we decide not to disclose some
available through the Department's
information, we must explain to you why
webs
ite www.doeni.gov.uk/foi or from
The Right to Know
it is being withheld.
the Information Commissioner's Office.
The Commissioner's details are:
Public Information Leaflet
Can I complain if I am unhappy with
the Department’s handling of my
Website:
www.ico.gov.uk
request for information?
Phone:
08456 30 60 60
Email:
xx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
You have the right to complain to the
Post: Information
Commissioner's
This guide provides a brief outline of
Department if we do not deal with your
Office
your rights under the Freedom of
request for information within the
Wycliffe
House
Information Act 2000 and the
timescales set by the legislation, that is
Water Lane
Environmental Information Regulations
normally not later than 20 working days
Wilmslow
2004 and how we will deal with your
after the date your enquiry is received by
request for information. This leaflet
the Department. You also have the right
Cheshire
to complain if you are dissatisfied with
SK9 5AF
should not be regarded as a legal
our response to your request for
interpretation.
information.
Your complaint must be registered within
two calendar months and will be
investigated by the Department's
Information Manager. You will receive a
reply as soon as possible and normally
within 40 working days after the date
your complaint is received.
What is the Right to Know?
website. Details of the information
receipt. This timescale may have to be
available is listed in our Publication
extended if the information requested is very
The
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Scheme which can be accessed on our
extensive and, therefore takes a long time to
and
the Environmental Information
webs
ite www.doeni.gov.uk/foi. The
gather, or if we have to consider if providing it
Regulations 2004 came into effect on
Publication Scheme is also available in the
is in the public interest, or if we are waiting for
1 January 2005. The legislation gives
reception areas of the Department’s public
you to pay a fee.
you the right to request information held
offices, or by writing to, or phoning the
by a wide range of public authorities.
It will help us to process your request more
Information Management Branch at the
quickly if you can be as specific as possible
What information can I obtain?
following address:
about what information you want. If necessary,
The legislation enables you to get
Information Management Branch
we will contact you to ensure we understand
information to help you to understand
Room 6-01A
your request clearly and this may add to the
better how the Department works, how
Department of the Environment
time we need to respond. It is also important to
we spend public money, and how and
Clarence Court
tell us whether you want the information sent to
why we make our decisions. However,
Adelaide Street
you on paper or by email, and whether you
you may not be able to obtain all the
Belfast BT2 8GB
have any particular requirements. Information
information you ask for as the
Phone: 028 90 540012
may be available in other languages or formats
legislation contains exemptions for
on request.
If the information you want is not available
some types of information which cannot
from these sources, you can ask for the
Is there a cost for getting
be disclosed, for example, information
information by writing to the department at
information?
about national security, law
the above address or by sending the
enforcement or personal information
You may have to pay for information which is
electronic mail form on our website.
about others.
already published by the Department, for
The website also contains more detailed
example, the provision of an Agency’s Annual
You can also get information under the
information about the Freedom of
Report. You may also have to pay a fee for
Data Protection Act 1998 which,
Information Act and the Environmental
other information requested.
amongst other things, gives individuals
Information Regulations, and our
access to their own personal
This depends on a number of factors including
procedures for dealing with requests for
information.
the volume of material requested. Responses
information under this legislation.
to enquiries that cost the department less than
What are exemptions?
The website also provides a link to the
£600 to process1 will normally be provided free
Both the Freedom of Information Act
Northern Ireland public sector portal
of charge, although there may be a small
and the Environmental Information
www.nidirect.gov.uk/ where you can
charge for disbursements2. The Department
Regulations contain a number of
obtain further information on accessing the
has the right to refuse to respond to a request
exemptions (in the Regulations they are
websites of all Northern Ireland
that is estimated to cost more than £600 to
called “exceptions”) allowing the
Government Departments.
process.
Department to withhold information in
Please note that you must provide us
certain circumstances. However, most
with your name and address (or email
of the information held by the
address) to enable us to respond to
Department will not be subject to
your request.
exemptions.
How long does it take to get
How do I get information held by the
information?
Department?
_____________________________
The legislation requires us to respond to
A wide range of information is already
1
your request for information as soon as
Includes the cost of finding and sorting the material
available to the public either in printed
possible after it is received, and not later
2
form (for which there may be a charge)
Disbursements may include costs of photocopying,
than 20 working days after the date of
or, if you have Internet access, on our
printing, postage etc