Dáil debates

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed)

 

10:50 am

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like Deputy Brian Stanley, I welcome the commitment in the section confirming that Irish Water will no longer have the power to request PPS numbers. Just this week, an article in The Irish Times showed that if it had not been for the will of Department officials to resist the demands of Irish Water for these details the provisions on PPS numbers might not have changed. It seems Irish Water had the protection of the Government in seeking the numbers but I must take at face value the Minister's commitment in this matter. I ask that the Minister consider these amendments as a way to copperfasten his commitment by ensuring that all PPS numbers that were collected will be deleted within four weeks of the passing of this Bill. I ask also that the Minister mandate the Data Protection Commissioner to produce a report confirming that the numbers have been deleted and lay this report before the House as soon as possible thereafter. The Minister must assure people that there is no prospect of collected numbers being retained or used, irrespective of what Irish Water does or is directed to do by the Government in the future.

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