Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform

Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed)

7:00 pm

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

The arguments have been made for the deletion of this section. I concur with the view put forward by a person who I consider to be expert in the area, the former Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly. In her view, the reason the fee was introduced was to dampen people's ardour for seeking public records. It certainly worked. Retaining the fee will have that effect, notwithstanding the fact that I accept that the Bill moves things forward. Charges are being reduced in some areas, but I echo the point made by Ms O'Reilly: as long as we retain the up-front charge it can have no other effect than to dampen people's ardour for seeking out public information. I believe the Minister knows that.

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