John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not question that Mr. Carroll wants to get this right but take the example he has given where the data protection officer reports to the highest level. The risk managers in banks have legal obligations. They report to the highest level in the banks and thereafter to the Central Bank.

If they had all been doing their jobs, we would not have had the crash. It is fine to define it in legislation, but when it comes down to organisations and people, the system has to be strict in how a person interprets what it is attempting to achieve. One also has to take into account the size of agencies and operations. I am a public representative and the data specialist in my organisation. I report to myself and I am subject to the Data Protection Commissioner. That is what is happening in the country. We are creating wonderful agencies and introducing legislation without giving consideration to what actually happens in some of the entities that are lower in the pecking order than a well placed company or agency. I invite the delegates to come and spend a week in my office to see at first hand the information we have available and then tell me what they would do with it. I ask them to consider accepting that invitation.