Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 62: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of freedom of information requests received by him in 2011; the number of requests for which a search and retrieval fee was sought; the maximum fee sought by him in respect of a request received; the number of requests not proceeded following the non-payment of the search and retrieval fee sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10408/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There follows in tabular format a statistical breakdown of the Freedom of Information Requests processed by my Department in 2011.

My Department makes every effort to work with requesters to reduce the cost of Search & Retrieval fees, which are generally incurred where the request ranges over a large volume of records or a significant time period. Less than 10 per cent of all requests did not proceed where Search and Retrieval fees were sought.

It is the policy of my Department to make all requests and replies made under the Freedom of Information Act, which are not of a personal nature, publicly available. The Freedom of Information Requests Database is available on the website of my Department and contains copies of the non-personal requests made since April 2004.