Irish Opposition Call for cut in FOI fees rejected

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Call for cut in FOI fees rejected

MARIE O'HALLORAN

Thu, Feb 12, 2009

MEMBERS OF the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee got more information about expenses in the State agency Fás through freedom of information (FOI) requests than from documentation the agency supplied directly to the committee, the Dáil was told.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that was a justification for the FOI system as he called on Brian Cowen to ensure “State bodies provide the fullest possible information when freedom of information requests are made”.

He raised the issue as the Taoiseach rejected calls for fees for FOI requests to be reduced to a flat rate of €10 for requests, reviews and appeals.

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin also called for the implementation of a recommendation by the Information Commissioner to end charges for requests and appeals. “In light of the scandals in banking and Fás” he said it was the “absence of scrutiny that has given rise to much of what we have witnessed”.

Requests cost €15, which Mr Cowen said was “modest” when the administration cost of processing a request was estimated at an average of €485.

Earlier, Mr Cowen said he would consider a call by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore that there should be a “wall” between a Minister responsible for a scheme of expenses and any agency implementing the scheme. However, the Taoiseach said “why not have greater transparency from the State agency in the first place”.

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