'Difficult to know' if FOI charge will discourage public

The Information Commissioner Kevin Murphy says it's difficult to know whether the introduction of charges for utilising the Freedom of Information Act will discourage the public from using it.

Mr Murphy was speaking before the Oireachtas Committee on Finance and the Public Service which is examining proposed amendments to the Act.

Responding to a question from Labour TD Joan Bruton, Mr Murphy said, "It's very hard to measure what the effects would be, as to whether it will lead to less uses. That's quite important because then the costs could be quite considerable."