Department for the Economy

The complainant has requested information relating to the working group established to examine the issue of compensation for electricity customers cut off by Storm Éowyn. The Department for the Economy provided some information and refused the remainder under the exceptions at regulations 12(4)(d) (material in the course of completion), 12(4)(e) (internal communications) and 13 (third party personal data) of the EIR. The complainant did not challenge the application of regulation 13. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Department was not entitled to rely on regulation 12(4)(d) or regulation 12(4)(e). The Commissioner requires the Department to disclose the information withheld under regulation 12(4)(d) and regulation 12(4)(e) to the complainant. The information withheld under regulation 13 should be redacted from the information to be disclosed.