Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister did not respond to my question, although I know in any event what would be his response. I draw his attention to section 15, which allows a head to refuse to grant a freedom of information request on administrative grounds. Among other factors, an administrative refusal may be made where "in the opinion of the head, granting the request would, by reason of the number or nature of the records concerned or the nature of the information concerned, require the retrieval and examination of such number of records or an examination of such kind of the records concerned as to cause a substantial and unreasonable interference with or disruption of work (including disruption of work in a particular functional area) of the FOI body concerned". The system has an in-built check for dealing with voluminous requests, as they were described by the Minister. I will not labour the point as I have made my position clear on the matter.

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