Results 5,961-5,980 of 26,843 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: If the cost is to be included, may I make an additional request on the other side of the equation? While I acknowledge it cannot be done on the spot, could one come back with the same question and state how much it would cost?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: No, I mean how much would it cost a customer, that is, a member of the public or a journalist to ask that question?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: No, two things are being mixed up, namely the cost of-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That did not stop Deputy Murphy.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I agree with the amendment, as I believe the lines in question should be deleted. Let me refer the Minister to one of the expert witnesses we had from England, Mr. Hammond. Perhaps the Chairman could remind us of his credentials. He was an expert witness during the pre-legislative discussions.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: To the members of the committee, he stated: On fees and vexatious requests, the issue is understanding what makes a vexatious request vexatious. We should not be conflating a vexatious request with one that is a little difficult, annoying, embarrassing or persistent. For example, one cannot have a vexatious requester. The Commons justice committee examined how someone who made a lot of...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: From the point of view of the requester, the information sought might be considered pretty important in that it might pertain to expenditure on hospitality in local authorities.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Maybe so, but Mr. Hammond was the expert witness making this argument, not me. I am simply reminding the Minister of what Mr. Hammond said. He made the point that what the Minister, I or a majority here might consider to be vexatious might be considered very important by the individual making the request. He stated that we should not second-guess the individual's right to gain access to...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I read it differently.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I probably vex the Minister.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: May I respond? Maybe such people exist but I put it to the Minister that there are not that many of them.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: What is of concern is that there is the potential for the Minister to be using a sledge-hammer to crack a nut because there are not many of these people. This particular wording gives a hell of a lot of discretion for people to make quite a subjective judgment about people or issues that they may be annoyed by. They may consider them to be frivolous and vexatious, but the requestor may...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am nearly finished, Chair. I am just making a proposal.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is not repetition, it is a proposal.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am just making a proposal.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Fair enough. Nobody wants to stay in here all day but our job is to scrutinise legislation. Any Deputy is entitled to come here and do so.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Indeed, and I have tabled amendments. As the Chairman knows, I cannot table amendments in my name so they must be submitted via Deputy Donnelly. Committee Stage is also an opportunity for us to go through the legislation line by line and discuss issues as they arise. Therefore, my proposal to the Minister is-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am asking the Minister to consider reframing section 15 to put a higher bar for frivolity.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Deputies had a cosy little chat.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In 2011 it was €85,000.