DoI wrong to refuse Crogga correspondence FoI

Information Commissioner says government department failed to justify exemption

A government department has been told it was wrong to refuse to publish all correspondence with gas extraction firm Crogga after the Information Commissioner ruled it had failed to comply with a Freedom of Information request.

The Department of Infrastructure was asked for details of all contact between the government and the company in August last year, but refused to provide them, citing a commercial exemption.

The Information Commissioner found the DoI didn't comply with the request within the standard period for responding, and failed to justify the application of the exemption.

The department now has 30 days to supply the details or provide a further refusal.