Mr. John O'Brien:

In any discussions I have had on it there seemed to be an uncomfortable feeling that in some way it infringed people's right to privacy. The Data Protection Commissioner has made a very clear ruling that one can retain data for as long as it is essential for the purpose for which one takes it. Instead of using the photograph we get into a convoluted process which involves, in the first instance, sending out a notice; getting no reply; trying to follow up with the registered owner of the vehicle; and perhaps getting no response from that person. If there were only one offence, it would be very easy to follow it up, but there are approximately 400,000 to 500,000 processes going into the system. In the year I examined, 2007, the fixed charge processing office in Thurles received approximately 92,000 pieces of correspondence relating to the process. Even then, it was obvious that the fixed charge processing office was under immense pressure. It has neither the equipment nor the people to deal with the enormous correspondence. In the new scheme of things it has become the central cancellation authority for the country.