Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We could do it now. I am going to be discussing the amendment as it stands but without the paragraph described by the Minister. That is section 17(13)(c), although there may be other bits and pieces.

I and others disagree with an upfront fee for a variety of reasons. The Minister has indicated two reasons to the committee for having a fee regime. The first is that in the current economic reality, where citizens are being asked to undergo much hardship as public services must be reduced in certain areas, it would be unreasonable to take away the fees of the freedom of information regime. A second reason, as given at the start of the meeting, is that this would also help manage the workload when the new Bill comes in. Are these the two reasons for the fees?