Information on HIQA’s functions, activities and schemes is routinely available to the public. Such information is available without the need to use the FOI Act.

To request access to records held by HIQA, please:

• email foi@hiqa.ie or,
• send a letter to the FOI Liaison Officer, Health Information and Quality Authority, Unit 1301, City Gate, Mahon, Cork.

In your correspondence you should:

• state that you are making the request under the FOI Act 2014
• provide as much information as possible about the records you want and specify a timeframe
• include a daytime telephone number in case there are queries in relation to your request
• specify how you would prefer to receive the records — hardcopy or electronic copy.

Alternatively, you can use our application form here.

There is no fee for making an initial request under the FOI Act; however, fees for search and retrieval work, including photocopying, may be charged for non-personal requests.

• Search and retrieval fees are calculated at €20 per hour per person plus €0.04 per page photocopied.
• There is no fee where the cost of search, retrieval and copying is less than €101.
• There is a maximum charge of €500 where the cost of search, retrieval and copying is greater than €500 but less than €700.

Where the cost of search, retrieval and copying is greater than €700, we can refuse to process the request. We will give you the opportunity to refine your request in the first instance.

There is also a fee if you want to make an internal review or appeal the decision made on your FOI request (€30 or €10 medical card holders).

FOI fees and charges are explained in more in the FOI fees chart.

Please contact foi@hiqa.ie for HIQA bank account details. Remittance advice or note of fee payment should be sent to foi@hiqa.ie once payment is made.  

It may not be possible to release all the records you are seeking. We may need to release some in redacted form or refuse them outright. This is because certain material may be protected by exemptions under the FOI Act.

What are exemptions?

Exemptions are conditions under which certain records are protected and cannot be released under FOI. This includes material relating to third parties, legal advices, and records contain sensitive information about businesses. Depending on the content of the record in question, it may be partially released or refused.

We may also refuse your request if we consider it to be too broad or unclear. We will, however, assist you to try to rectify this before refusing the request.

In general, we will:

• acknowledge your request within two weeks (10 working days) of receipt
• notify you of the decision within four weeks (20 working days) of receipt
• redirect your request to the relevant public body within two weeks of receipt and notify you accordingly if HIQA does not hold the information you seek.

If you are unhappy with the decision or if after the four weeks you have not received a decision (this is called a refusal to your FOI request by non-reply), you can apply for an “internal review”.

To request an internal review you must write to the FOI Liaison Officer referring to the decision received (if one was made) and state that you are making an internal review appeal.

To make an internal review please:

• email foi@hiqa.ie or,
• send a letter to the FOI Liaison Officer, Health Information and Quality Authority, Unit 1301, City Gate, Mahon, Cork.

HIQA’s FOI Liaison Officer is available to provide assistance to any person with a disability to exercise their rights under the FOI Act:

• email: foi@hiqa.ie
• tel: 021 4547722