DCU aren’t going to release who funds Institute for Ethics at RunningWithBulls.com

DCU aren’t going to release who funds Institute for Ethics

Published by bbt March 13th, 2006 in bernard, runningwithbulls.com

After hearing about the interesting idea of DCU’s Institute for Ethics last week, I made contact with an ex-collegue in DCU. After asking if it was known who funded the Institute, I received a reply from someone with FOI knowledge in DCU:

> Good to hear from you.
> With regard to your query on who is funding the Institute for Ethics, I understand that all fundraising is carried out by the DCU Educational > Trust. This is a
> separate legal entity from DCU and as such, does not come under the ambit of the FOI Acts. While you may submit a formal FOI request to DCU on the matter I
> believe the reply would be that the donors wish to remain anonymous and that the funding was given on the understanding that the source would be kept
>confidential.

I can understand why the Institute backers want to keep their identities private, but I have a hard time agreeing with it. This body is going to make commentary on ethics in business, and daily life.

Hmm….

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3 Responses to “DCU aren’t going to release who funds Institute for Ethics”

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1 Simon McGarr Mar 13th, 2006 at 12:38 pm

“While you may submit a formal FOI request to DCU on the matter I
> believe the reply would be that the donors wish to remain anonymous and that the funding was given on the understanding that the source would be kept
>confidential.”

That wouldn’t be a legitimate reply to an FOI request. If DCU is FOIable and get an FOI request for documents they hold which fall under the ageis of FOI they must cough them up.

Either there are available documents or there aren’t.
2 bbt Mar 13th, 2006 at 12:51 pm

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the comment.

The response came from on of the FOI staff in DCU.

I am not fully sure of the status of the FOI in DCU, if its self applied, or if its Governmental FOI.

If the FOI is self regulating, then I’m afraid we might never know who fund them. If it is national, then there might be a chance.

thanks
b
3 bbt Mar 13th, 2006 at 12:54 pm

After checking oasis.gov.ie, I find the following:

http://www.oic.gov.ie/en/PublicBodiesCovered/BodiesintheThirdLevelEducationSector/

DCU are listed here.

I may e-mail my contact once again.

b.