Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not have information on the number of other European countries doing so to hand. I can say, however, that in the normal course of events, a particular period of time is given within which appropriate domestic legislation is to be enacted. From our perspective, it is important that we proceed with our own domestic legislation, which we are now doing. Since our central authority, the Garda Síochána, was connected to the system a number of years ago, we have been in a position to exchange information with the central authorities in other member states, particularly on issues of national security and counterterrorism across the European Union. We are now placing this on a statutory footing in accordance with what other EU member states have been doing in recent years.