Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have had a good discussion. To go back to what Deputy Jack Chambers said, if we were in any way to undermine the public services card, as the amendment would because it would prevent it from being used as an exclusive means to verify identity, where would it leave the people who are using it to access free travel? I do not think that is the intention.

As I said in the earlier part of the debate, Article 6 of the GDPR provides for consent as one element, but it also provides for compliance with legal obligations as set out in law. In addition, it should also be noted that under the GDPR, public bodies should not rely on consent as the lawful basis for processing a person's data. There are other elements that have to be relied on in the processing of data. Consent is one, but it is not the sole element. Compliance with the law is also one. I am not suggesting, as I do not think anybody else here is, that we should not have a law that allows it to be the case.