Further to my post and letter of 3rd July I have now delivered a follow up letter, requesting further information from Minister Dempsey, also under Council Directive 2003/4/EC.

The full text of this second letter is available on Tuppenceworth.ie.

Attending to Mr. Michael Daly of the Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources when he telephoned in response to my letter of 3rd July 2005.

1. He asked me to identify the person for whom I was acting. I declined on the grounds that Council Directive 2003/4/EC specifically relieves the inquiring party from stating their interest in seeking information.

2. He stated that much of the information I was seeking was not covered by the Directive. I informed him that I would dispute that.

3. He acknowledged that the Directive did not oblige me to identify the party for whom I was acting. I told him it precluded him from asking for that information.

4. He said that much of the information was on the Department’s website. I told him that much of what was on the website, such as it was, was not accessible.

5. He said a great deal of the material, EIS etc. had been on the website in 2002. I said it was not there now.

6. He said he did not know who had removed it.

7. He again asked me to identify the person for whom I was acting. I told him the Directive precluded him from asking for that information.

In the context of the jailing of five Mayo men for contempt of court I have today delivered an open letter to Mr. Noel Dempsey, Minister for Communications Marine and Natural Resources.

It seeks 21 points of information, including the release of documentation, persuant to Council Directive 2003/4/EC.

The full text of this letter is available to read on Tuppenceworth.ie

UPDATE: A subsequent letter of 8th July 2005 to Mr Dempsey is available to read here.