Results 12,261-12,280 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: As we have seen, there will be cases of completely unreasonable requests, for example, a person who wants to do a PhD and would like somebody to research it for him or her. Where there is a decision that the request is so unreasonable that it would be disruptive of the work and that is a discernment made, the correct approach is to address it at that level. One aspect in all the...
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: I also wish to indicate that with the permission of the sub-committee, when amendments Nos. 47 to 52, inclusive, are reached, I intend, because they all are related, to move and withdraw each one.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: It is a different one but again, because it is related, it is my intention when that amendment is reached, to withdraw it. The amendments that are related to amendment No. 33 and which are under discussion here, that is, amendments Nos. 47 to 52, inclusive, will be withdrawn. However, when amendment No. 53 is reached-----
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: ----- I intend to withdraw that amendment and will explain the reason when I get to it.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: Yes.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: The issue of fees will be raised in the discussion of amendment No. 53.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: I checked when I saw these amendments and as I am not advised that there are serious problems with timelines being met in general in the provision of records and on that basis, I am reluctant to accept the amendments. As the Deputy is aware, the Act already provides deadlines for the processing of requests and these are set out. If the request is straightforward, with, for example, no...
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: If one pushed it all the way to the Information Commissioner-----
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: Involving third parties?
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: If one involves a third party, that third party must be consulted. If he or she indicates a reluctance for information to be released about him or her, the third party also can appeal it. Therefore, it depends and one must allow for due process.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: Yes, that is the generality of it.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: No, that is not my information.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: I shall refer briefly to a number of points made by Deputy Fleming. He talked about managing demand. What I meant by that was ensuring that the system works. We could have a Rolls Royce system that just does not work because we do not have the resources, capacity or wherewithal to do it. We must ensure that we are practical as well in terms of all the things we do. There is no point in...
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: There is a real cost. I do not mind Deputy Boyd Barrett interrupting. However, there is a real cost and somebody is picking up the tab. If it is not the requester it is someone within the organisation.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: There is a dialogue going on.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: The average cost is €600 and we are asking for a contribution towards that of €15, which is modest. Deputy Dara Murphy made a compelling and clear case that there should be fees. He is correct that in the context of my Ministry it is reasonable that I would ask for a contribution to maintain it. He made a much more profound and important point, namely, about the automatic...
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: I am told that it is approximately 15%.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: No, it is 15% of the total, which is 70% plus 15% and the rest are from the general public.
- 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)
Brendan Howlin: I will get the data for Deputy Creed. I do not have the information with me. Deputy McDonald has restated her view on fees generally and I understand and accept it. I thank Deputy Donnelly for his contribution. We will debate the issues. I have dealt with Deputy 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)
Brendan Howlin: I am not going into get into parsing and analysing that. I would have to look at it in some detail. The bottom line is that there are clearly a number of questions involved that are distinctly separate. That is my judgment, but it will ultimately be a matter for the information officer who will be trained-----