Access to information on the environment (AIE)
Access to information on the environment is important to enable members of the public to know and understand what is happening in the environment around them. It also assists the public to participate in environmental decision making in an informed manner.
The government ensures that members of the public have this access through implementation of the AIE Regulations in Ireland.
Environmental information held by, or for, a public authority should be provided to any person who requests it from public authorities under the AIE Regulations. Particular procedures apply to this process and access to information may be refused in certain circumstances. There is also an appeals process in case a person is unhappy with a decision on their request.
Requests under the AIE Regulations should be made to the public authority which the applicant believes holds the information.
- Making a request
-
The Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) Regulations 2007-2018 gives you the right to access environmental information held by, or for, Public Authorities.
If you wish to request access to environmental information held by, or for, the Dublin Dental University Hospital, simply email us at foi@dental.tcd.ie
Please state in your email / letter that your request is submitted under the AIE Regulations 2007-2018 and state exactly what you are requesting.
Alternatively, you can post it to:
AIE Request
Corporate Services Department
Dubln Dental Univerity Hosptial
Lincoln Place
Dublin 2
- AIE Legislation
-
The European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 133 of 2007), gives legal rights to those seeking access to information on the environment from public authorities.
These Regulations came into effect on 1 May 2007, repealing the previous legislation, the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 1998. S.I. 662 of 2011, S.I. 615 of 2014 and S.I. 309 of 2018 revised these regulations further.
The amalgamation of these four pieces of legislation should be read together as one, and may be referred to as the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007 to 2018.
An unofficial consolidation of the Regulations is available here.
Information relating to the environment held by, or for, a public authority must be made available on request to any person subject to certain exceptions.
The Regulations provide a definition of environmental information and outline the manner in which requests for information should be provided to public authorities. The Regulations also provide for a formal appeals procedure in the event that a person is unhappy with a decision on their request.
- European Directive
-
The AIE Regulations give effect in Ireland to Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Public Access to Environmental Information (the AIE Directive). This Directive repealed Council Directive 90/313/EEC, which was the previous EU instrument providing for access to environmental information.
The EU adopted the AIE Directive to give effect to the Access to Information pillar of the 1998 UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention).
- Guidelines
-
Public Authorities should take account of the guidelines published under Article 14 of the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations 2007 to 2018 in performing their functions. The guidelines will assist public authorities who hold environmental information. They will also benefit the general public and others who wish to exercise their rights to access environmental information. Please be advised that this is not a legal document.
Guidance for Public Authorities and others on implementation of the AIE Regulations
- AIE Statistics and Disclosure Log
-
The DDUH maintains a record of all AIE requests that it receives and posts summaries online for reference purposes.