Freedom of Information

• Establishment of the organisation
• Roles, responsibilities and functions
• Governance/Management arrangements
• Corporate plans and strategies
• Annual Report
• Location and contact details
• Codes of practice or guidelines
• What we do
• Memorandums of Understanding 
• Paygrading structures
• Customer Charter

• Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP)
• School of Pharmacy, Trinity College Dublin 
• School of Pharmacy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) 
• School of Pharmacy, University College Cork (UCC) 
• Affiliation for Pharmacy Practice Experiential Learning (APPEL)

• Search the Registers 
• Registration
• Handling complaints about pharmacists and pharmacies
• Pharmacist education, accreditation and CPD
• Pharmacy assurance, inspection and investigation
• News and events

• Major policy proposal including any public consultation exercises
• Background information relating to major policy proposals and decisions
• Council minutes and agenda
• Corporate Governance Framework
• PSI submissions to stakeholder consultations

• Financial statements (published in our Annual Reports)
• Plans for major capital expenditure (published in our Annual Reports)
• Prompt payments
• Governance Board Member remuneration (published in our Annual Reports)
• Payments or purchase orders for goods and services

• Financial Reporting and Procurement

• FOI disclosure log
• Reports

To make an FOI request, you should: 

• Put the application in writing.  
• Indicate in your application that the information is requested under the Freedom of Information Act. 
• Specify if the information is required in a particular format, e.g. photocopy, email, etc. 
• Give as much detail as possible to help the PSI to identify the record/s. If you have difficulty in identifying the precise records we will be happy to assist you in preparing your request. 
• Include a daytime telephone number so that you can be contacted if it is necessary to clarify details of your request.

You may be asked to prove your identity, especially when requesting personal information. You may be asked to produce your passport, driving licence or other form of identification.

Send you FOI request to:  

Freedom of Information Officer 
PSI – the Pharmacy Regulator 
PSI House 
15-19 Fenian Street 
Dublin 2, D02 TD72 
Email: foi@psi.ie 
Telephone: +353 (0)1 218 4000

The PSI is obliged to respond to your request within four weeks. 

The Act sets out a series of exemptions to protect sensitive information where its disclosure may damage key interests of the State or third parties. Where the PSI uses these provisions to withhold information, the decision may be appealed. Decisions in relation to deferral of access, charges, forms of access, etc. may also be the subject of appeal.

You may seek an internal review within the PSI if: 

• you are dissatisfied with the initial response; 
• you have not received a reply within four weeks of your initial application. This is deemed to be a refusal of your request and allows you to proceed to internal review. 

Requests for internal review must be submitted within four weeks of the initial decision. The PSI must complete the review within three weeks and you will be notified in writing of the outcome. 

Internal reviews must normally be completed before an appeal is made to the Information Commissioner. 

Requests for internal review should be submitted in writing to: 

FOI Internal Review Decision Maker 
PSI -The Pharmacy Regulator 
PSI House 
15-19 Fenian Street 
Dublin 2, D02 TD72 
An internal review can also be submitted by email. 
Telephone: +353 (0)1 218 4000 

If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the internal review, you can apply to the Information Commissioner for a review: 

Office of the Information Commissioner 
6 Earlsfort Terrace 
Dublin 2 
D02 W773 
Tel:+353 (0)1 639 5689 
Locall: 1890 223 030
Fax: +353 (0)1 639 5674
Email: info@oic.ie
Website: www.oic.ie 

The Freedom of Information Act 2014 requires FOI bodies to publish an FOI Disclosure Log, which contains details of the types of requests received under FOI and the decisions made by the body in response to those requests.

The access to information on the environment (AIE) regulations give citizens the right to access environmental information held by public authorities. The AIE Regulations came into effect on 1st May 2007, and have been updated since. The relevant legislation is referred to as the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007 to 2014 (AIE Regulations 2007-2014). 

The Regulations provide a definition of environmental information and outline the way requests for information may be made by any person to public authorities. The Regulations also provide for a formal appeals procedure if a person is unhappy with a decision on their request. 

How do I make an AIE request? 

If you wish to submit a request to the PSI under the AIE Regulations 2007-2014, please send your request by email to facilities@psi.ie or by post to AIE Officer, PSI, PSI House, 15-19 Fenian St, Dublin 2, D02 TD72.

When making a request for information you should: 

• state that the application is being made under the AIE Regulations 2007-2014 
• provide your contact details, including a daytime telephone number 
• state your request for the environmental information in terms that are as specific as possible 
• state in what way you would prefer to receive it (for e.g. photocopy or email). 

Decision on a request 

Information may be granted in full or in part, and some exemptions exist where a body may decline to provide the information requested. Normally you will be notified of the decision within one month of receipt of the request.

What can I do if I am unhappy with a decision on my request? 

If you are refused access to the environmental information you requested in whole or in part, or you believe your request was not properly dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the AIE Regulations 2007-2014, you may request the PSI to carry out an internal review. You should request this within one month of receipt of the original decision. 

Fees 

A request does not require payment of an upfront fee. However, a public authority may charge a reasonable fee to certain applications received, as provided for in S.I. 133 of 2007 and S.I. No. 662 of 2011. 

Further information is available on the Freedom of Information website.