Department for Communities

The complainant has requested copies of draft action plans relating to the draft Irish language strategy and draft Ulster Scots strategy for Northern Ireland. The Department for Communities (“the DfC”) confirmed that it held the information but said it was exempt from disclosure under section 35(1)(a) (Formulation of government policy, etc) of FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the DfC was entitled to rely on section 35(1)(a) of FOIA to refuse to disclose the withheld information.