Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Let me put a couple of points to the Minister about each of those reasons he gave. I also put it to him that there is another reason. In regard to the economic climate, the Minister told Deputy Donnelly he cannot make an estimate of the cost. I refer to the evidence given by the former Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly. She said we currently get €85,000 per year. The number of areas covered by freedom of information has been expanded but surely we can make some sort of estimate. Let us say it doubles or even trebles, is it not fair to say the amount of money about which we are talking is really quite negligible? It is hard for me to understand how one can make a claim on economic or financial grounds for the retention of the fee when the money about which were are talking is so small. What is the worst case scenario? Is it a quadrupling of the volume? Will the Minister comment on that point because the money seems so small?