Freedom of Information

What is Freedom of Information (FOI)?

The Freedom of Information Act 2014 (The FOI Act) provides members of the public with the right to access information held by public bodies to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the public interest and right to privacy. The aim of the FOI Act is to promote transparency and accountability of public bodies, such as the Central Bank of Ireland (The Central Bank).

What Are My Rights Under FOI?

The FOI Act gives members of the public the right;

  1. To access records held by public bodies (as defined in s.6 of the FOI Act);
  2. To have personal information, which is held by public bodies, corrected or updated where it is incomplete, incorrect or misleading;
  3. To obtain reasons for decisions made or taken by the public body which affect them.

This means that you have the right to request access to:

  • Records holding your own personal information (regardless of when the record was created)
  • Other records held by the Central Bank created since 21 April 2008
  • Records created before 21 April 2008 if their release is necessary in order to understand another record created after that date

Certain records held by the Central Bank are specifically exempt from release under the FOI Act.

Before Submitting an FOI Request

We regularly publish a wide range of information about the Central Bank on our website. Before submitting an FOI request, you may wish to consult:

In the ordinary course of events, please note the Central Bank of Ireland does not hold details of:

  • The individual bank accounts or mortgage accounts of consumers of financial services; or
  • Copies of correspondence between financial service providers and its customers.

Make an FOI Request

Find out more about how to make an FOI Request