Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I refer to having some regard to the role that public representatives, Deputies, Senators and others, will have in advocating on behalf of the people they represent who will interface with this new office. What is being created here seems similar to the Department of Social Protection, and it is normal practice for us to interface with that Department and the HSE on regular payments being paid out by the State. This is particularly the case regarding the Department of Social Protection. I hope the role of Deputies, Senators and others would be recognised and that we would not be hampered by the general data protection regulation, GDPR, if permissions and consents are given to us to advocate on behalf of our constituents. I refer to us being recognised as public representatives to some degree in interfacing with such a body. I say this because not everybody will be able to make their own case in this context.