Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Speaking of charges, there needs to be a reform of the system. It lacks consistency in how search and retrieval fees are estimated or applied across various State bodies or Departments under FOI. Certain Departments are looking to charge crazy fees and it acts as a deterrent. Even though the Minister is telling me that the numbers are up, I would like to see what exactly is being retrieved.

I put in an FOI request to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection on correspondence between the Department and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and the Road Safety Authority since 2010. I was given an estimate that the services of four staff members would come to a total of 654.5 hours search and retrieval work on my request and they were charging €20 an hour. The total bill was to be €12,912, not including photocopying. That, obviously, was a little on the prohibitive side and put me off somewhat. It is worth looking at.

Before I forget, if the Minister is writing to Santa Claus, will he ask him for two tickets for Spurs v. Juve and he can bring me to London for Christmas?

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