Madam, - You report that the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, believes changes to the Freedom of Information Act "will lead to a better appreciation of a service which has been estimated to cost hundreds of euro on average per FOI request".
Does the Minister have an actual, rather than estimated, figure for the total cost of FOI requests to all Government Departments? If so, how does it compare with the €10 million-plus spent by Government Departments on more than 60 contracts with public relations, marketing and advertising consultants last year (The Irish Times, April 19th; figures released under the Freedom of Information Act)? - Yours, etc.,
SARAH HAYES, Brighton Vale, Monkstown, Co Dublin.
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Madam, - Charlie McCreevy's latest effort at social exclusion comes as no surprise. The less-well-off in our community are the most likely to need to use the freedom of information process when they come under attack from the moneyed in our society who would seek to exploit them further. Placing charges on the process will simply put it beyond their reach.
I have written on a number of occasions about the schemes of Mr McCreevy that skew things to favour the well-off in our society and I firmly believe that he and Mary Harney knowingly pursue policies that are socially divisive. They obviously care little for things such as social cohesion.
Policies that aspire to these goals require to be funded and the philosophy of these two politicians is firmly rooted in the base and principle of "Devil take the hindmost". They have no concept of community. - Yours, etc.,
JIM O'SULLIVAN, Rathedmond, Sligo.
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Madam, - The Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, in announcing that requests under the Freedom of Information Act will now cost €15, said: "I am strongly of the view that things that are free are abused."
I agree. At the last election I gave my vote free of charge to this Government. Next time there is an election I will charge for my vote. My price will be a commitment from politicians to adhere to a high standard of ethics, truth, honesty, integrity and fairness, and an end to the shallowness of persistent spin. - Yours, etc.,
NIAMH COOPER, Delaford Lawn, Knocklyon, Dublin 16.