No Access: Bord na Móna companies blanket blocking release of information

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Companies owned by Bord na Móna say they fall outside of the scope of key regulations enabling access to environmental information, limiting transparency on the semi-state’s core operational activity, noteworthy_ie can reveal

Bord Na Mona Edenderry Power Station in County Offaly Image: Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland Bord Na Mona Edenderry Power Station in County Offaly Image: Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland COMPANIES OWNED BY Bord na Móna say they fall outside of the scope of key regulations enabling access to environmental information, limiting transparency on the semi-state’s core operational activity, Noteworthy can reveal.

Bord na Móna is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, however, it still falls under the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations that entitle citizens to ask public bodies for documents on biodiversity, pollution and climate issues. While the subsidiary has a separate legal personality and operates independently in its commercial operations, the OCEI found that “there is a very close connection between the two companies, closer than the usual relationship between a parent company and a wholly owned subsidiary” and it “presents no separate face to the public”.

Noteworthy has since made several other AIE requests in relation to peat extraction, horticultural peat exports and plans to build wind farms on peatlands. In each case, Bord na Móna determined that the records were held by subsidiaries which it stated did not fall under the definition of a public body and were exempt from the AIE Regulations.

In each case, it said, the subsidiaries have “determined that they are not public authorities within the meaning of the AIE Regulations”. It did not outline how the subsidiaries had come to this conclusion.

 

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noteworthy_ie Time to scrap these (SemiState) excuse companies. Its a get out of jail free card for them is all. BnM , ESB , RTE let them hold their heads above water or let them sink like they deserve.

noteworthy_ie Don’t think they fall under the secrets act 🤥🤥

noteworthy_ie Because the corruption in BNM is beyond comprehension . Makes FAS look like the infant such as it is on an scale to 5. A company with such trust. Riddled with fraud and corruption

noteworthy_ie The proverbial 'Pandora's Box' comes to mind. When Winter comes, we'll probably have to put that on the fire too.

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