DoF Publication Scheme
Department of Finance Publication Scheme.
Welcome to the Department of Finance Publication Scheme.
Access to information
The following acts of parliament have created access to information regimes which allow members of the public to ask the Department of Finance (DoF) certain types of information:
About this publication scheme
Under section 19(1) of the Freedom of Information Act every public authority is required to adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information and whether or not a charge will be made for the information.
The Information Commissioner, who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, has drawn up a Model Publication Scheme and a Definition Document for all public sector organisations. The Department has formally adopted the Information Commissioner’s model publication scheme. The scheme is organised into different classes of information which are set out below. This structure aims to save you time and effort when searching for information.
Who we are and what we do
The Department of Finance (DoF) aims to help the Northern Ireland Executive secure the most appropriate and effective use of resources and services for the benefit of the community. In pursuing this aim, the key objective of the Department is to deliver quality, cost effective and efficient public services and administration in the Department’s areas of executive responsibility.
What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts.
What our priorities are and how we are doing
Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews.
How we make decisions
Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations.
Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities.
Lists and registers
Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the Department. Also provided is the Department’s disclosure log of responses to Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulations requests.
FOI and EIR Compliance Reports
Reports showing the volume of Freedom of Information, Environmental Information Regulations and Internal Review requests received, timeliness of responses and outcome.
- FOI and EIR Compliance Report 2022
- FOI and EIR Compliance Report 2023
- FOI and EIR Compliance Report 2024
The services we offer
Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases.
Estimating costs
When we receive a request for information we will estimate the costs we reasonably expect to incur in dealing with your request. In making this calculation we will take into account the time our staff (or contractors) spend on the following activities at a rate of £25 per person per hour:
- determining whether we hold the information requested
- locating the information or documents containing the information
- retrieving such information or documents
- extracting the information from the document containing it
We are not obliged to respond to requests where we estimate that the cost of complying will exceed £600.
If we estimate that the cost of complying with your request will exceed £600 we will try to assist you to refine your request, in order to see if it can be brought within this limit.
If, following such assistance, your request cannot be brought within this limit we will normally decline to respond to your request. This is because we have limited resources to deal with complicated or time-consuming requests.
Publication scheme charges
The Department reserves the right to charge for actual disbursements incurred such as photocopying and/or postage & packaging.
If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information.
Alternative formats
If the information is not in a format that meets your needs please contact foi@finance-ni.gov.uk
or by post:
Transparency and Open Government
Corporate Services Division
Department of Finance
2nd Floor,
Craigantlet Buildings,
Stoney Road,
Belfast,
BT4 3SX
Crown copyright and licensing
The material on this site is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated.
You may use and re-use the information featured on this website (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence with only a few conditions:
Information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Therefore information you receive which is not subject to Crown copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. You must ensure that you gain their permission before reproducing any third party (non-Crown copyright) information.
If you can’t find the information you want
If the information you want is not routinely published, you can make a request for it under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or, for environmental information, the Environmental Information Regulations 2005. Please write to us by email:
or by post:
Transparency and Open Government
Corporate Services Division
Department of Finance
2nd Floor,
Craigantlet Buildings,
Stoney Road,
Belfast,
BT4 3SX
Requests for information must be in writing (via email or post). Please give your name and an email or correspondence address, and describe the information requested in as much detail as possible.