Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the Deputy's first comment, the same argument was made about water charges and a variety of other services - that people have paid their taxes over time, so a service fee is a double tax. The claim that one has already paid for a service is an argument that can be applied at will.

We will bring in a new fees regime but we do not know how much revenue will be generated. As the Deputy can see from the attached schedule of fees, we will charge a fixed €15 fee that has been place since 2003, and we will reduce the fee for appeal, including the review fee and the fee for appeal to the information commissioner. I do not know what the take will be. The cost structure depends on the organisation. It would be onerous to embark on the analysis.

I have not read the TASC report referenced by the Deputy, but perhaps the officials accompanying me have done so.