Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I echo some of what Deputy Costello and, indeed, the Chairman said in respect of this. It is an important area. Because we headquarter so many of the big corporate centres of data and have a lot of data storage in the country, it is obviously something we must take very seriously.

Even in the engagements we had when we were preparing the report, we recognised there were issues that needed to be dealt with and required attention. Many people cannot understand how the Data Protection Commissioner is so active in talking to communities that have cameras up to prevent crime and yet does not seem to be as active in other areas in which people would be much more satisfied if she took a greater role, in particular when we look at cybercrime and some of the very violent and sexual online content that is available for children and so forth.

There is a huge area about which we have to be very serious about and put the resources in to ensure we can lead in it. Our credibility as a centre of tech will depend on how we can regulate that centre of tech. We need to be conscious of that. While the increase is certainly welcome, it is a reflection of the direction in which it needs to go. We need to accelerate that and ensure we live up to the standards we set ourselves by being a centre of tech in this country. We have invited so many companies here. We have so much data passing through Ireland from all of Europe. We cannot just simply ignore our responsibilities in respect of all that.