Freedom of Information request re Pistol Licence

lead loader

Hi guys,
I received an email from a senior investigator in the office of the information commissioner, informing me that a request was received for information, pursuant to the freedom of information act, by the dept of justice, in relation to my application for a fac for a restricted centerfire pistol. I was just wondering if anyone else has received similar correspondance?

Tackleberrywho

lead loader wrote: »

Hi guys,
I received an email from a senior investigator in the office of the information commissioner, informing me that a request was received for information, pursuant to the freedom of information act, by the dept of justice, in relation to my application for a fac for a restricted centerfire pistol. I was just wondering if anyone else has received similar correspondance?

Not that I am aware of.

Why would they be interested??

Cass

Sounds "odd".

The information on your application is/should be, freely available to them. All they would need is to check PULSE. Now whether they have the power/authority to do that or need some sort of authorisation is a matter beyond my knowledge, but i would defintely follow up on it.

Ring the dept. you received the e-mail from tomorrow and enquire as to why such a request would be issued. Then possibly ring someone in the Garda HQ/Firearms Policy Unit and also ask why would the DOJ be requesting this information or more to the point is the normal method they would use to gain this info.

smokiebeverage

I don't think the DOJ is asking for the info, I think the FOI was made to them. It could be a generic request from a member of the public looking for info on applications.

Cass

smokiebeverage wrote: »

I don't think the DOJ is asking for the info........

Maybe i misread the post. It seems as though the DOJ was the party requesting the info. If i have read it wrong and there is a third party outside of the DOJ requesting the information i would make it my top priority to find out who, why and can this information be made available simply by request/payment.

If that is the case then anyone could pick people at random or purposely and request information on the amoun/type of firearms held and their address, etc. All of which are contained within an application. Not to mention, contact info, medical info, etc.

Would the information on an FCA1 be so easy to get. I hope not. Freedom of information or not, a firearms application is not a document that you would want "floating" around for all to see.

It wasn't me!

In addition, since the DoJ have nothing to do with the practical licensing process, they're not going to have the information.

lead loader

Thanks for the fast response lads:D
I am currently in the middle of the appeals process and my case is sub judice so the less said the better. My understanding is that this relates to the on going high court cases ( which i must stress i am NOT involved in) and information and disclosure sought by the applicants in the case. If anyone else gets a request like this could they pm me please.

Cass

If your case is in appeals, then you are facing a Chief Super/Super. In other words a member of the Gardai. If they needed any info they could use PULSE to get it. If it was your lawyer/barrister then you could supply the info.

Without putting the s**ts up you, i would be concerned that someone in the court (if you have already been) has requested the info.


Anyway, no point speculating. Get onto in the morning and find out for definite.

smokiebeverage

Ezridax wrote: »

.

The only reason I think the request is to the DOJ is that the Information Commissioner would be holding no data on the application and you only make requests to the body holding the info you require. I think the Info Commissioner just tells you the information has been requested. I am open to clarification on this as my knowledge on FOI is limited. The court itself could be requesting the information but they wouldn't need a FOI request for this and I don't think government agencies need FOI requests to get info.But like everybody else I'd be on the phone in the morning to get the full information.

clivej

Just reading through this and not up to speed with any of this.

My opinion

Do nothing yourself.

Give it all to your solicitor and let him do the phoning and enquiring for you. Then he will have records of all/any dealings on the matter.

Thats what your paying him/her the big money for.

meathshooter1

lead loader wrote: »

Thanks for the fast response lads:D
I am currently in the middle of the appeals process and my case is sub judice so the less said the better. My understanding is that this relates to the on going high court cases ( which i must stress i am NOT involved in) and information and disclosure sought by the applicants in the case. If anyone else gets a request like this could they pm me please.

I think you have an appeal in the same district as me?.I know that my solicitor is seeking all info regarding the applications, I signed a form giving him authority to act and seek all info on my behalf last year.the high court cases which I am part of have a lot to do with the district court appeals.I would ring your solicitor, DOJ and Gardai are dragging there heels in furnishing this info and sounds to me another ploy by them to delay and obstruct the high court process which has been the case to date in my opinion, contact your legal team and inform them

Grizzly 45

Dont be in any rush for this info too.
I had to almost physicaly drag my file out of the DOJ via the FOIA comissioners powers.Refused outright first time by Dept of Justice on the most spurious of grounds,partially released information under appeal to the FOIA comissioner.
Only to discover some most pertinent information is still being witheld by that most sinister Govt dept .
Decision now pending on a full and formal investigation of the case

Could take up to a year for the FOIA comissioner to investigate this due to financial cuts in their budget when they were starting up in the "openess and transparency" era of B Ahern.[Wonder why that was???:rolleyes:]

What I got from my file most definately makes for intresting reading.:eek:
Would advise any of ye who post regulary here on boards shooting section to apply under the FOIA to the DOJ[Its free] for any info they have on you,or even just as a gunowner.You have a RIGHT UNDER LAW to that info .So exercise your rights and if it is wrong information ,they are obliged by law to correct it.

Sparks

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

apply under the FOIA to the DOJ[Its free] for any info they have on you,or even just as a gunowner.You have a RIGHT UNDER LAW to that info .So exercise your rights and if it is wrong information ,they are obliged by law to correct it.

That's not the FOI act Grizzly - FOI requests can be refused, they're not free (it's a minimum €15 charge and it can be increased if they have to do more work to collate/provide the information), and some bodies (like the Gardai) are exempt from the Act.

You're thinking of the Data Protection Act, which is free, where you do have a right to see your personal information and correct it if it's wrong; but it's more limited in scope - you can't ask to see anyone else's information or anything not pertaining to your personal info, for example.

Grizzly 45

Sparks..If you check the DOJ website,you will find that the FOIA requests for your personal info to the DOJ are for free. I havent paid one cent on this sofar.
Yes,if you are applying on somthing not revelant personally to you it does cost the fee.

Maybe should have been clearer on that last point in the previous post.:o

Sparks

Ha! Well, that's my something new for the day, I didn't know the FOI act allowed for the correction of personal data, I was certain that was just the Data Protection act