Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister stated accurately that the code is a numeric sequence and only becomes something useful or tradeable when it is linked to a person. The same could be said about the PPS number. That is also a numeric sequence which becomes useful when it is linked to a person. I guarantee the Minister that if we were having the debate we are having on postcodes about the PPS number, the Chamber would be full. It would not just be the four of us. The same risks are inherent and the same precedent has been established with this legislation as if we were talking about the PPS number. There is the same risk that data will be resold and that information will be resold once it is linked to people and an address. The very fact that we need this legislation to protect against what might happen is an acknowledgement on the part of the Government that there are risks. The legislation is not strong enough, however, to ensure those risks do not materialise. It is ill-conceived.

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