Freedom of Information

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2021

Tuesday, 6 July 2021

Questions (385)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

385. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of freedom of information requests refused by his Department since the Freedom of Information Act 2014 commenced for the reason that search and copy costs would exceed the maximum threshold; the number of requests that were subsequently granted following engagement with the requester to narrow the scope of the request; and the costs associated with same. [36155/21]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

When a Freedom of Information request is deemed valid and accepted for processing, and if the estimated fees for search and retrieval involved in processing the request are found to exceed the maximum threshold, the requestor is offered the opportunity to revise the request and offered assistance to do so. Since the establishment of my Department, no requests have been refused on the basis that it exceeded the threshold and engagement with the requestor to refine the scope of the request has not been required.