Government failed to inform body of FoI charges
New charges were controversially introduced earlier this summer making the initial up-front cost of a non-personal FoI request €15. However, in a move critics say has effectively undermined the entire Act, higher charges for appeals mean a request that goes for final decision by the information commissioner will attract a total fee of €150.
Commissioner Emily O’Reilly, who had just taken up the post, also publicly stated the charges were likely to function as a deterrent to the use of the Act.
