Publication Scheme, Department of Agriculture and rural Development
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 requires all public bodies
to have a Publication Scheme. The Publication Scheme details information which the Department
of Agriculture and Rural Development makes routinely available or intends to publish and relates to
our Department functions.
Introduction
Welcome to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Publication
Scheme. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)
- is engaged in the agri-food industry
- has a broad remit to strengthen the economic and social infrastructure or rural areas with a particular emphasis on disadvantage
- has a responsibility for conserving and enhancing the rural environment through the promotion of environmentally responsible management of
- agri-food
- fishing
- forestry
- drainage activities
The
agri-food sector includes farming, fishing and food processing and the rural economy embraces all of
these and forestry.
What is a Publication Scheme?
One of the aims of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is that public
authorities should be clear and proactive about the information they will make public. Central
to this is the preparation of publication schemes (a list of classes of information which it makes,
or intends to make, routinely available). In this Scheme, "publication" not only refers
to printed material but also includes information in other formats such as electronic documents and
CD-ROMs. The Scheme sets out:
- the classes of information we publish or intend to publish
- the manner in which they will be published; and
- whether the information is available free of charge or on payment