Howlin to scrap €15 FoI fee under review

The Government is to scrap the €15 up-front fee for Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, under draft reform proposals.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin is bowing to pressure and looks likely to abolish the €15 fee that was introduced in 2003 for all non-personal requests for information held by public bodies.

However, the fees move came with a sting which will see public bodies advised to make greater use of their powers to charge €20.95 per hour for searching for material.