Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

From the amendment as drafted, it appears that on each occasion express consent would be required. On the amendments which deal with consent, the Minister of State has given a reasonable explanation of the practical effect of such changes in the case of particular State agencies. It is incumbent on members to bring forward amendments to provide for an effective opt-out, where possible, but it would have to be balanced with the practical requirements of the different agencies of the State which the Minister of State has mentioned.

Amendments Nos. 4 and 16 in the names of Deputies Wallace and Clare Daly are reasonable in their drafting. They would mean that a public services card or access to a person's public service identity could not be the exclusive basis for the purposes of verification. That is reasonable in conducting a transaction or seeking access to a service. I know that there have been difficulties with identity cards. Requiring a public services card could be exclusionary. Amendments Nos. 4 and 16 are reasonable and I would like to hear what the Minister of State has to say about them. I know that we have primarily discussed the other matter, but amendments Nos. 4 and 16 are included in this grouping and we have not discussed them.