Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We are restoring the Freedom of Information Act to which the Deputy's party did so much damage. Approximately 70% of freedom of information requests are made by members of the public who are seeking information on their own files, etc. No charge at all applies to such requests. The amendment mentioned by the Deputy relates to cases in which multiple applications are made in the same letter. It costs approximately €600, on average, to respond to a freedom of information request. That is taxpayers' money. I do not think it is unreasonable for the Minister, Deputy Howlin, to propose an amendment to deal with an anomaly or loophole that facilitates those who try to make several unrelated freedom of information requests in the same letter or application. As we consider the Freedom of Information Acts, we must strike a balance between the right to information and the considerable cost to the taxpayer of responding to freedom of information requests. Essentially, we are restoring the position that existed before the Deputy's party pulled apart the freedom of information system.

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