FF accused of harbouring culture of secrecy over FoI
Fine Gael has called for the slashing of the charge for citizens seeking information from more than 500 public bodies, after the FoI annual report for 2007 showed requests have dropped by 43% since fees were introduced in 2003. The report shows that 10,704 requests were made in 2007, a drop of 1,100 or 10% on 2006 and a drop of 7,739, or 42%, since 2003. Just two-thirds of requests were granted last year while more than a tenth (12%) were refused, and about 5% were withdrawn by the applicant.
The withdrawals are likely to be made as a result of the charges which applicants are informed of after they have made a request for information. The standard fee is €15, but this can change depending on how much work is required by the state body to compile the information. An appeal costs €150. The HSE received 3,955 requests for information, more than all government departments put together. Of the HSE requests, more than a quarter were either refused or only party granted.
