Use of the Freedom of Information Act has fallen sharply since the Government started charging fees for requests for records, new figures reveal, writes Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter.
The figures show the request rate falling by up to 70 per cent in some major Government Departments since the introduction of a €15 fee in July. Requests to all but one Department fell when figures from July until the middle of December are compared with those embracing July until the end of December last year.
The new regime, under which some of those seeking records have been levied search and retrieval fees running to hundreds of euro, followed a new series of restrictions on the level of information available under the Act.
Written responses to parliamentary questions reveal that requests to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment fell by almost 70 per cent. There were 33 requests in the period this year compared with 106 last year.
Requests to the Department of Health fell by more than 60 per cent. There were 257 in the period this year, down from 693 last year.
The figures also show that requests to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism fell by just over 70 cent. The Department received 26 requests in the period this year compared with 86 last year.
Requests to the Department of Foreign Affairs fell by almost 70 per cent in the same period. There were 25 requests in the period this year compared with 86 last year. Requests to the Department of Finance fell by almost 60 per cent. There were 79 requests in the period this year compared with 191 last year.
The Information Commissioner, Ms Emily O'Reilly, said the fall-off in requests was not surprising. International experience showed that the number of requests fell whenever fees were imposed or increased, she said. She said anything that militated against people's right to information was a matter of concern.
Requests also fell sharply at the Departments of Environment, Justice, Transport, Communications, Social Welfare, Defence, Agriculture, and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, who tabled the parliamentary questions, accused the Government of cynically attacking the Freedom of Information regime. "In doing so, it has betrayed the trust of the Irish people," he said.
Requests to the Department of Education rose by 16 per cent in the period this year to 1,121 from 966. Second half figures for the Department of the Taoiseach were not released. There were 139 requests from January to November this year compared with 126 in the same period last year.