DOI Under Fire After Review Finds FOI Failures Over Mooir Vannin

The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) is facing mounting criticism after an internal review found it mishandled a Freedom of Information request linked to the proposed Mooir Vannin wind farm. (FOI request reference: 5333242)

The review found the Department held information it had previously told campaigners it did not possess.

Campaign group NOT4IOM submitted the request in February. It sought details about the 2015 Agreement for Lease and later changes governing Ørsted’s rights over Manx territorial waters.

Refused

In April, the Department refused major parts of the request. It cited commercial sensitivity. It also stated that other information was not held.

An internal review later found otherwise. The review concluded the requested information was held by the public authority. It also found a reasonable search had not been carried out.

According to the review, two key divisions were never asked to search for records. No third-party consultation took place before commercial sensitivity exemptions were applied. The Department was also criticised for failing to provide reasonable advice and assistance throughout the process.

Boxes Found In Storage

The findings became even more significant when further searches uncovered an estimated 25 to 30 boxes of Ørsted-related records in storage. Electronic records were also identified. These materials had not been accounted for during the original FOI process.

The review ordered the Department to start again. It must carry out fresh searches, consult with relevant parties and conduct a new public interest assessment.

For critics, the case raises serious questions about transparency and record keeping inside the Department. The records relate to what could become the largest infrastructure project in Manx history, yet campaigners spent months being told information did not exist.

Nearly nine months after the request was submitted, no documents have been released. No publication timetable has been provided.

MIMA Examination

NOT4IOM is also seeking answers over whether any of the archived material was considered during the Marine Infrastructure Management Act examination of Mooir Vannin. That examination concluded in September. The group says it remains unclear whether the newly discovered records played any part in the Department’s submissions.

the Department had delayed, refused and disputed the existence of information that was later found to exist.

Georgina O’Sullivan, speaking on behalf of NOT4IOM, said the Department had delayed, refused and disputed the existence of information that was later found to exist. The group argues the public should be allowed to see non-confidential parts of the lease agreement before ministers make any final decision on the scheme.

NOT4IOM is now calling on the Minister Jason Moorhouse MHK to intervene. The group wants a firm timetable for disclosure and full compliance with the review’s recommendations. It has also warned that the matter could be referred to the Information Commissioner if further delays continue.

The central fact remains difficult for the Department to explain. An internal review found the information was held. A fresh search then uncovered up to 30 boxes of records. Yet almost nine months after the original request, not a single document has been released to the public.

Further Reading from NOT4IOM

FOI request (reference: 5333242) – https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/search.
NOT4IOM submission to the Examining Body regarding FOI request’s relevance to examination – https://mima.gov.im/media/bctlt1ta/no-offshore-turbines-4-isle-of-man-2.pdf.

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