1 Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. (..)
The Republic of Ireland (ROI) has ratified the Convention on February 25th 1953 and was condemned for violations of the Convention 23 times since 1959.
In 1997, the Republic passed the Freedom of Information Act 1997. Under this Act, any citizen can make a request for a public document. But this request cost in the Republic of Ireland €15 not including photocopying cost and other charges decided by the public body handling the request. Even more surprisingly, the Freedom of Information Act doesn't apply to all the documents held by Garda including statistics, policy documents and administrative records.
The public document about immigration policy and statistics are held by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law reform (INIS) and Guarda (GNIB).
In order to write an article about the reasons for the new visa requirement for citizens of Mauritius visiting Ireland, a FOI request was made to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law reform for the following records relating to :
1) matter used, or intended to be used, by the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform for the purpose of making the decision «As and from 1 January 2010 nationals of Mauritius will be subject to an Irish visa requirement.»
2) the reasons of the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform for the making of the following decision «As and from 1 January 2010 nationals of Mauritius will be subject to an Irish visa requirement.»
Unfortunately, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform would only accept some mode of payment only available in the ROI : "bank draft, postal money order or personal cheque made payable to "The Accountant, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform". Credit card, debit card and international bank transfer were not accepted, make it not possible to pay the €15 fee for the FOI request. The Department of Justice refused to grant a waiver of the €15 fee and then to process the FOI request due the lack of payment of the €15 fee.
It is then not possible today to inform you on the reasons of this new visa requirement for the citizens of Mauritius visiting the Republic of Ireland (ROI) from January 1st 2010.
http://ecvisawaiver.wordpress.com/