Permanent Secretary for Labour and Home Affairs Robert Horton is to take part in a two-week international study on transparent government and freedom of information.

The programme will begin on March 31 in London and will explore the theory, practise and experience of countries that have legislation that guarantees freedom of information.

The first week will be entitled Freedom of Information; Achieving Open and Transparent Government, while the second week will be held in Dublin, Ireland. The United Kingdom and Ireland will be the focus as consideration will be given to various methods used to enshrine the right of citizens to have access to government information. But the study will also examine challenges encountered when the rights of the individual to privacy and the needs of the state conflict. The course will be run by the Public Administration International, a public service development agency.