Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The dates I gave on that issue were the dates I got from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. I would say the Department of Health and Children was informed at the same time. In fairness to the organisation, it acted promptly. It is clearly concerned about its own security and credibility and the importance of the good work it does. It has been very careful. Its representatives have said they would be happy today to answer questions. To the best of my knowledge, the organisation worked promptly and speedily to deal with the issue because of its importance.

As Deputy Kenny said, I answered this question on numerous occasions. The fees are a matter for the Minister for Finance, who has made clear that he has no plans to review them. The prices have not changed for the past five years and I do not think he is reviewing them upwards. The current system was introduced almost exactly five years ago. At €15, the fee is modest, particularly when compared with the estimated average cost of processing freedom of information applications, which was €425 at the time. The cost has not remained at that level but has probably increased to €600. Requests for personal data are free. The Deputy will be glad or sad to hear that the number of requests made to my Department is drifting upwards again. The figures were very high in the first few years and they have increased again to more than 70 compared to 45 made when the fees were first introduced. The figures in respect of the first year or year and a half were false because people made requests about old data. The number of requests subsequently fell to the 40 to 50 range but it has increased again to more than 70.

On the other issue, which is not strictly relevant but in case the Deputy thinks I will not answer it, the development planned at the time minus the casino probably would have been better than what is currently on the site. The casino was never a runner in the form proposed by Mr. Turner. I often wonder, as a matter of interest, what would have happened if he had done what everyone else did. We all argued at the time that we could not change the law for casinos but now we seem to have casinos all over the place even though we never changed the law, so it is an interesting point.

See this speech in context