Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

The main problem I have with the Opposition motion is that although it alludes to "some notable successes" in the area of e-Government, it goes on to list only the shortcomings in this area. The reality is that we have had many successes in the area of e-Government. We need only look at the Oireachtas system where Members have access to a fantastic computer database which allows us to deal easily with constituents' queries. I am confident this system would not be vulnerable in the same way as the Bank of Ireland system because the theft of laptop computers would not mean that the thief could gain access to the network on which the information is stored. As well as seeking improvements in e-Government services, the motion should also seek improvements on the part of businesses in regard to their computer security. Businesses should learn from the successes of the Government in this area. As a customer of Bank of Ireland in Drogheda, I have serious concerns about the theft of the laptops containing customer data.

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