Skip to main content
Department of Health Department of Health An Roinn Sláinte Männystrie O Pouste

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • The Environmental Information Regulations 2004

    Topics:
    • Good management, good records, 
    • Legal and professional obligations

    The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 came into force at the same time as the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and updates and extends previous rights to environmental information.

    The Regulations

    Any request for information held by/on behalf of a public authority is initially treated as a Freedom of Information request.

    However, section 39 of the Freedom of Information Act exempts environmental information from being dealt with under freedom of information and provides for it to be dealt with under the Environment Information Regulations (EIR) 2004.

    This means that there may be cases where information is exempt under freedom of information but has to be released under these regulations.

    The regulations are very similar to the Freedom of Information Act and requests for environmental information are dealt with in a similar way to those for other information.

    The key differences between EIR and the Freedom of Information Act are:

    • a wider range of organisations are covered by the EIR, including some private organisations
    • the EIR relates to environmental information only
    • requests for information do not have to be in writing under the EIR; they can be verbal
    • all exemptions for refusing an EIR request are subject to a public interest test

    Personal information of the applicant continues to be dealt with under data protection.

    • The Environmental Information Regulations 2004

    Records management considerations

    As with the Freedom of Information Act the organisation needs a robust records management programme.

    The requirements of the two pieces of legislation are similar so it is advised that organisations deal with EIR requests in a like manner.

    The main difference is that requests for environmental information need not be in writing.

    Related content

    • Administrative law
    • Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 (as amended)
    • Completed Equality Screenings
    • Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008
    • Police Act 1997
    • Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967
    • The Access to Health Records (Northern Ireland) Order 1993
    • The Access to Personal Files and Medical Reports (Northern Ireland) Order 1991
    • The Adoption Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989
    • The Census (Confidentiality) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991
    • The Civil Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
    • The Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
    • The Computer Misuse Act 1990
    • The Congenital Disabilities (Civil Liability) Act 1976
    • The Consumer Protection (Northern Ireland) Order 1987
    • The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) (COSHH) 2003
    • The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
    • The Electronic Communications Act 2000
    • The Foster Placement (Children) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
    • The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000
    • The Gender Recognition (Disclosure of Information) (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Order 2005
    • The Gender Recognition Act 2004
    • The Health and Personal Social Services (General Medical Services Contracts), Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004
    • The Health and Personal Social Services, General Dental Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008
    • The Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978
    • The High-activity Sealed Radioactive Sources and Orphan Sources Regulations 2005
    • The Human Rights Act 1998
    • The Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989
    • The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003
    • The Public Interest Disclosure (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
    • The Public Records Act (Northern Ireland) 1923
    • The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens