Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 6

Written Answers. - Data Protection Act Regulations.

Noel Dempsey

Question:

17 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Justice if she will waive or reduce the fees payable by public representatives and by businesses employing less than three people for registration under the Data Protection Act Regulations. [4252/95]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

Under existing regulations governing registration fees payable under the Data Protection Act, 1988, the fee is £200 for applications by persons or firms with more than 25 employees, and £50 in all other cases.

The existing regulations have been in force since 1990 and they replaced an original prescribed uniform fee of £100. I understood that one of the reasons for the changeover in 1990 from a uniform to a two tier fees structure was that the latter was perceived as being more equitable in that it takes account of the size of a registrable data controller's business.

I am at present considering whether changes should be made in the fees structure and this will take into account the suggestion made by the Deputy and others for a further reduction in the fees for persons with only a very small number of employees. It will be appreciated that in practice any reductions in fees for one category may necessitate increases in fees for other data controllers.

In any event I am having all the options examined, with a view to designing an updated fees structure which will be feasible, practical and equitable. I will make an announcement about the matter as soon as the examination which I referred to has been completed.