Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I should have said at the outset that I am accompanied this morning by my officials, Mr. Seamus Carroll and Ms Noreen Walsh. I acknowledge their ongoing work in this regard.

I mentioned the issue regarding the GDPR itself. I cannot accept the definition of "scientific research purposes" proposed by Deputy Daly. While it does appear in several articles of the GDPR, the term is not defined there. It would not be appropriate for us here to elaborate on such a definition. However, there is a strong likelihood that there will be guidelines from the European Data Protection Board on this precise issue. That is where the definition is most likely to be produced and it would be more appropriate for it to come from there. I am not in a position to accept the amendment. While Deputy Daly considers it to be a minor amendment, it could have significant consequences. The more appropriate course of action is to wait for the guidelines from the European Data Protection Board.