Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

A certificate is only issued under section 34 in very exceptional circumstances and only where the record is of sufficient sensitivity or seriousness to justify such an action. In a case of that nature it would not be appropriate for the certificate to include a detailed explanation for the refusal to grant the record concerned as that would lead to the revelation of what information is to be protected in the first instance. For the information of the Deputy, the section is used very infrequently. In fact, only two certificates are in effect at the moment and only 12 have been made since 1997.