The government has refused to release details of talks with easyJet over the airport’s future.
A freedom of information request asked for correspondence on the airport’s reliability, the benefits to easyJet, and whether there were concerns the airline might pull out.
The Department of Infrastructure said some information is already publicly available and suggested any further details may be held by easyJet.
Protecting Collective Responsibility
However, the department said most of the requested material is exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, as releasing it could harm Cabinet-level discussions and decision-making.
The DoI’s response said disclosure could discourage open debate and undermine collective ministerial responsibility.
While the government acknowledged the public interest in transparency, it said the need to protect internal deliberations outweighs the benefits of releasing the information.
The FOI response can be found here.