The new Freedom of Information Act 2014 came into effect on 14 October 2014.

The Freedom of Information Acts assert the right of members of the public to obtain access to official information to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy of individuals.

The Act established three new statutory rights:

• A legal right for each person to access information held by public bodies
• A legal right for each person to have official information relating to himself or herself amended when it is incomplete, incorrect or misleading
• A legal right to obtain reasons for decisions affecting oneself

Under the Freedom of Information Acts, everyone is entitled to apply for access to information not otherwise publicly available. You have a right to request:

• Access to records held by Wicklow County Council
• Correction of personal information held by the Council concerning yourself wherever it is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading
• Access to reasons for decisions made by the Council directly affecting you

The following categories of records come within the scope of the Acts:

• All records relating to personal information held by the Council irrespective of when created
• All other records created after 21 April 1998, which is the commencement date of the Freedom of Information Act
• All other records necessary for the understanding of a current record