David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

No, but the Minister had a difficulty with it. The parliamentary question suggested that the Data Protection Commissioner, unfairly in my view, was not willing to meet. In fact, Ms McCrum, when she initially answered the question, said that on that date in August, the Data Protection Commissioner was not in a position to meet. The commissioner added a caveat that the implementation plan should be put in place. My point is that a perception was being created by the Department that the Data Protection Commissioner was unwilling to engage with the Department when, in fact, she was willing to engage. She made it clear that she had directed an implementation plan and it was not put in place. She wanted that to be put in place and then she would meet. By the time the Department wrote to her, she had finalised her report and findings and felt it was inappropriate at that point. It is important for the facts to be made available and that the Department does not create a perception that the Data Protection Commissioner was unwilling to engage or to meet with the Department, when that does not seem to be the case, and she was more than willing to meet.