Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have no more questions. The business case is vital, because the Comptroller and Auditor General's report should not be used in the way it is being used. The Minister should read all of it. She is quoting arguments that were put by the Department at the time in response to concerns raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General. One of those concerns was that this was a new technology. Surely at some stage that would be tested through a business case.

I am not reassured that the Minister is taking any of the concerns set out in this detailed report on board. There are serious concerns in respect of the retention of data without a legal basis and other Departments using the card or demanding it without a legal basis. Surely at this point the Minister, separate from the Department, would have some sense to examine this and see what is happening here. After all, the Government has been aware of this for a long time. The commissioner has made his concerns known every year in his report. I have mentioned some of those concerns and I ask the Minister to address them.

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