Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

On the data protection area, I am curious about the extent of the independence of the Data Protection Commissioner. Yesterday, the communications committee was told it would not be able to release a report into the public services card until it got the go-ahead from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which is the lead Department in that regard. Has Mr. O'Driscoll concerns about the confusion as to whether this card can be extended? Is that costing money? There has been some flip-flopping as to whether it is required.