Mr. Derek Mullen:

I disagree with the Senator’s point. You can look at examples right across the Civil Service of civil servants who are responsible for sensitive data, such as our colleagues in office of the Revenue Commissioners, or in the Department of Justice itself. Those who have powers, for instance, in our board of management unit or in roles that were taken over from An Garda Síochána, are all covered by the types of policies that have been referenced here today. Those policies are satisfactory. From time to time we will revisit them to make sure they are up to the standard that is required by the Civil Service. However, what is in this draft Bill is overreach for the civilian staff of An Garda Síochána. We have no doubt about that.