Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister referred to enforcement and criminal charges. I wonder if this is too binary in terms of enforcement. In cases in which a State body is dragging its feet with regard to compliance with freedom of information requests which may be low-level nuisance requests, I suggest that a criminal charge would be a rather heavy instrument. Perhaps a small fine to bring the body back in line would be preferable. I ask the Minister to consider a less binary option, so that a softer option is available to the Information Commissioner.

I agree that the semi-State commercial organisations operating in a fully competitive market should not be put at a commercial disadvantage. This is not the case with a monopoly, as, for instance, in the case of much of CIE. That company does not have to deal with competitors on some of its routes-----