The total number of requests received by my Department under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 in the years 2012 and 2013 are as follows:
2012: 74
2013 (to date): 42
Eleven of the seventy four requests received in 2012 attracted ‘search and retrieval’ fees, in accordance with Section 47 of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003. The maximum individual fee sought in that year was €94.27. There were no instances in 2012 that a request did not proceed on the basis of a request for a ‘search and retrieval’ fee.
To date in 2013, eight of the forty two requests received attracted ‘search and retrieval’ fees, in accordance with Section 47 of the Freedom of Information Acts. The maximum individual fee sought this year was €13,450, which related to a request that was extremely broad in scope in scope. In that case, the requester was afforded an opportunity to refine the wording of the relevant request in order to reduce or eliminate this fee. However, the requester has not engaged in any further correspondence on the matter. This was the only instance in 2013 that a request did not proceed on the basis of a request for a ‘search and retrieval’ fee.
It should be noted that under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003, decision makers are obliged, except in certain limited circumstances, to charge search and retrieval fees where significant search and retrieval of records is necessitated by the request. The Freedom of Information Bill 2013, which is currently being considered by the Dáil, will extend freedom of information to further public bodies. It is also the intention of this Bill to reduce the fee charged for internal review and the fee for appeal to the Information Commissioner.
