FOI 77-25: Information in regards to an event organized by Gut Health Matters/Ascension Autism, involving Danny Donnelly in Stormont
Information Standards Freedom of Information Response
28 January 2026
Our Ref: FOI 77-25
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 29 December 2025 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Your request was as follows:
“I am requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act regarding an event scheduled for 8 April 2024 at Stormont, organized by Gut Health Matters/Ascension Autism, involving Danny Donnelly. Please provide any records, emails, or notes on its planning, cancellation, and reasons.”
Our response
The Assembly Commission holds information in relation to your request. Please see the Appendix A below.
Certain information redacted from Appendix A is exempt from disclosure under section 40(2) of the FOIA, which provides that information is exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject and satisfies one of three conditions. ‘Personal data’ is defined by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
The Assembly Commission is satisfied that the condition set out at section 40(3A)(a) of FOIA is satisfied in respect of the information withheld. The condition is that ‘disclosure of the information to a member of the public otherwise than under this Act…would contravene any of the data protection principles…’
The data protection principles are set out at Article 5 of the UK GDPR. The first principle is that processing of personal data must be fair, lawful and transparent. Processing is ‘lawful’ under the first principle if it satisfies one or more of the conditions at Article 6 of the UK GDPR.
The Assembly Commission does not consider that any condition at Article 6 would allow the lawful disclosure of the names and contact details of relatively junior members of staff or the contact details of the event organiser.
Further Information
You have the right to request an internal review of this decision by the Assembly Commission. If you wish to request such a review, please write to me at the above address. If, after that review, you are dissatisfied with the way in which the Assembly Commission has handled your request for information, you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Your request for information and our response may be published in the disclosure log maintained by the Assembly Commission under a publication scheme agreed with the ICO. The request and our response will be anonymised.
Yours sincerely,
