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Publication duties
Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 makes every Irish FOI body prepare and publish a publication scheme. The state model groups the content under six standard headings on the body's own website. The body reviews the scheme every three years, and the published material at least once a year.
A reference note from Dan Malone, who builds software products.
The rule
“An FOI body shall maintain and hold a printed version of its publication scheme in its head office for inspection by members of the public during normal office hours, on not less than one day's advance notice.”
The facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Who must act | Every FOI body must prepare and publish a publication scheme, and publish information in line with it. Source |
| First publication deadline | A scheme must be published not later than 6 months after section 8 commenced. Source |
| Deadline given to bodies | foi.gov.ie states each FOI body must complete its own scheme, based on the Model Publication Scheme. The date given is not later than 14 April 2016. Source |
| Re-publication trigger | If the Minister makes or revises the model scheme or guidelines, the body's scheme can stop conforming. The body then republishes within 6 months. Source |
| Scheme review cycle | The body reviews and updates the scheme not later than 3 years after publication. Each further review follows within 3 years. Source |
| Material review cycle | The body reviews and revises published material at least once a year. After a revision notice in Iris Oifigiúil, the limit is 6 months. Source |
| Six standard headings | - Information About the FOI Body - Services Provided or to be provided to the Public - Decision Making process for major policy proposals - Financial Information - Procurement - FOI Disclosure Log and Other Information to be Published Routinely Source |
| Where it goes | The scheme should be easy to find on the body's own website. Group the information under the six headings. Source |
| Statutory contents | Section 8(2) lists the classes of information, the terms of access and any charge. It also lists structure and functions, classes of records, decision rules and precedents. It also lists staff names, the request address, and review and appeal rights with time limits. Source |
| Printed copy duty | The body holds a printed version in its head office for public inspection. Office hours apply, on one day's notice. Source |
| Oversight on failure | The Information Commissioner may examine compliance with section 8 and report on it in the annual report. Source |
| Live example | The Office of the Information Commissioner scheme was published on 8 March 2024. It was last updated on 1 July 2026, and runs to nine numbered headings. Source |
The artefact
What goes wrong
/01
The three-year review date passes and the page still shows the 2016 text
/02
The annual material review is skipped, so linked documents show old staff, old prices or dead links
/03
The scheme is dumped into one PDF instead of the six web headings, so nothing is findable or linkable
/04
Headings are renamed or merged, so a reader cannot map the page to the model scheme
/05
The FOI disclosure log stops part way through a year, or is never started
/06
A site migration to a new platform breaks the deep links under each heading
/07
The contact address, the staff names and the grades go stale after a reorganisation, and nobody owns the update.
/08
Scanned PDFs with no text layer fail S.I. No. 358/2020, if published from 23 September 2018
/09
No printed copy exists in the head office when a member of the public asks to inspect one
/10
Ownership sits with nobody after the FOI officer leaves, so no review is ever booked
Who supplies this
Publishes the Model Publication Scheme and guidance that every FOI body copies as its base template.
https://foi.gov.ie/guidance/model-publication-scheme/
Irish Drupal agency. Works with LocalGov Drupal, the council publishing platform.
https://www.annertech.com/
Open-source publishing platform built for council websites, with shared content types across councils.
https://localgovdrupal.org/
Works with all 31 local authorities, and runs shared digital, ICT and programme services.
https://www.lgma.ie/en/about-us/
Publishes its own scheme, which serves as a worked reference structure for other bodies.
https://www.oic.ie/en/collection/8275b-foi-publication-scheme/
Send the duty, the deadline and where it has to sit. What comes back is a written scope for the page, or a straight answer that you do not need one.
Send the briefLast checked 2026-09-01 · Published 2026-09-01
This page is reference material, not legal advice. Your advisor owns what applies to you.