Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand what the Minister is saying but corporate lawyers will have great fun with this one. The precedent that is being established in setting up contractors who are replicating the role of the Data Protection Commissioner is a dangerous one. The Minister said this has never been a problem up to now but in regard to the dissemination of information the facility to target specific addresses is not easily available either. There could be a potential mushrooming of unwanted data being sent to people's houses and the processing could take place in China or India rather than in Dublin or Mullingar. The precedent of contractors making decisions that would normally be within the realm of the Data Protection Commissioner is a dangerous one. It needs to be thought out much more. Will that practice be expanded into other areas? I will be pressing the amendments as this is a dangerous precedent.