Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was struck by what Mr. Herrick said about travel in Scotland. The current legislation refers to identification solely in respect of a transaction but when there is such a wide range of points of information identifying a person, it may lead to other forms of information, and a set of information which can be built up around a person. There may be concerns in respect of that issue. The point about passports was well made and given that an Irish passport is one of the most valued and respected internationally, it is dangerous to contemplate one not being acceptable as a form of identification, which could happen in the private sector.

Concerns around the safe system architecture are very clear. It is necessary to ask if something can be said to be voluntary when one's means of livelihood, one's income, the benefits one needs for a child or the opportunity to go to college is at stake. We are effectively looking at a mandatory system. Biometrics were touched on and Elizabeth Farries, who has done excellent work in this area within the ICCL, had an interesting article in the Irish Examineryesterday. She referred to the specific concern around biometric information. If a number or an address is hacked or accessed, it can be changed, but once one's personal biometric information is accessed, there are privacy concerns.