#Ports - Ireland's port companies will be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act under amendments contained in a new bill put forward by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Last week the minister announced the publication of the FOI Bill, which intends to extend FOI to all public bodies in line with the commitment included in the Programme for Government.

However, a list of 38 commercial State companies are to be exempted from the mandate to fulfil FOI requests, as detailed on page 78 (Schedule 1 Part 2) of the bill - available as a PDF to read or download HERE.

This list includes the Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners, the Drogheda Port Company, the Dublin Port Company, the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, the Galway Harbour Company, the New Ross Port Company, the Port of Cork Company, the Port of Waterford Company, the Shannon Foynes Port Company and the Wicklow Port Company.

Other marine-related agencies listed are the the Commissioners for Irish Lights, the Loughs Agency, the National Oil Reserves Agency and Waterways Ireland.

According to The Irish Times, the reason for these exemptions is "so as not to diminish the ability of such bodies to perform their core functions, or in the interests of the security or financial interests of the State".