Results 6,941-6,960 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: On the question asked regarding a subject access request versus a request under this legislation, subject access requests are individualised and depend on data control around their determination. I cannot, therefore, say that every subject access request will result in the production of all information.What I can say is that every request for information submitted under this legislation will...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator. We have had a debate on the "may" versus "shall" language on a number of occasions. In legislation there is a distinction between the use of the term "shall" and the use of the term "may". The use of "shall" in legislation creates a compulsion, often on a State body, to act in a certain way in certain circumstances. While this may seem like a good idea on the face of...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for tabling these amendments. Part of this discussion relates to the issue of the use of the word "may" versus the word "shall". I have made the point that we believe we are using the correct terminology. In reference to amendments Nos. 73 and 77, the Bill places obligations on relevant bodies to provide a summary of all relevant records it holds, including information...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for her amendments and for the clarification on the withdrawal of amendment No. 83. Part 4, which we are discussing here, is very important in terms of providing answers to family members of children who died in an institution. This Part provides for access to records for the family of those children who died in a mother and baby institution or county home institution....

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My response will be similar to what I said on amendment No. 74 and relevant amendments. We have examined this matter and feel that the use of "may" rather than "shall" is the appropriate way forward and we do not agree to put an obligation on relevant bodies to search for information that another data controller has. However, they have an obligation under section 63 to assist relevant...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I hope to address the concerns the Senator raised, although I cannot support this amendment. The decision to specify that the application for the tracing service should be made to Tusla was taken after careful consideration of how the application process for the various services provided under this legislation would work, particularly in respect of the user experience and ease of...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Section 42(2) in the Bill as passed by the Dáil provides a mechanism whereby the preferences recorded by the current national adoption contact preference register will be transferred to the new contact preference register to be established. This amendment deletes the part of section 42 that achieves this necessary function and does not replace it, leaving a subsection that does not...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I cannot accept this amendment, although I understand the spirit of it. Part 7 of the Bill, which relates to the safeguarding of records, has been carefully developed to provide clarity to the adoption authority and to the holders of records. The authority must have the ability to consider whether records are in fact relevant and I believe it is far more sensible and practical for the...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for raising these two issues in his amendment relating to an appeals and complaints mechanism and a review of the legislation. I will address both issues. As regards the first point, I understand, and I think we all know from our engagement on this issue over the past two years, in my case, and for a lot longer in the case of the Senator the level of mistrust that has...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I would separate the issue of appeals from the issue of complaints. My belief is there is no need for an appeals mechanism because there is not a decision to be taken in terms of "Yes" or "No" or "Issue information" or "Do not issue information". If a relevant person applies under this legislation, he or she is now legally entitled to all the information on him or her held by the relevant...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I take on board the point the Senator made and will take it into consideration when, assuming the legislation is passed, the power of the Minister's role in regulation is bestowed on me under section 67. On the wider points made by the Senator regarding the fact that an individual should not be put into a situation where he or she has to rely on GDPR, that is the preference and what we are...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Work has already begun on the information campaign because, as the Senator knows, once this legislation is passed, the three-month period kicks in immediately. We have been working to commence that. The AAI has engaged with the National Adult Literacy Agency on making sure the information and material produced as part of this campaign meets the criteria and is easily understood. We are...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will address amendment No. 126 first and then I will speak to the general point. As it stands, section 63 provides specifically for a parent who is registering a preference of no contact to be informed of his or her entitlement to avail of counselling support. Counselling support for relevant persons is also covered in this section and is drafted to ensure those who need it most are...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In respect of the obligation, we recognise the particular vulnerability of parents in situations. We discussed at length earlier today and at our previous debate the issues regarding striking a balance when it comes to privacy rights, and for some parents, and I believe they are in a minority, their concern about protection and their not being contacted. Earlier in this process we changed...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will take amendment No. 130 first. When I spoke to Senator Boyhan's amendment No. 108 earlier, I indicated that I was open to reviewing the text of section 70. I am, therefore, a little disappointed in Senator Boyhan's comments suggesting this is all being railroaded through. I said I would respond to that and I have indicated to Senator Higgins that I will respond to some of her...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Senator Boyhan for his support and kind comments. On Senator Higgins's point, yes, there will have to be engagement. As she knows, the stakeholder reference group that is to be established will be a touchstone for the ongoing implementation of the Bill. I have always recognised that State agencies have failed, and failed hugely, in some of their engagements with citizens. Moving...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Ukraine War (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. He knows that the desire to look after everybody, irrespective of race, colour or creed, is shared by the Government as well. I am absolutely happy to engage with the Deputy and if there are difficulties, he knows where to find me. He can come have a word. As I stated, the community fora are up and running in counties all over the country and they are a good place to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Ukraine War (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising these important issues. As he knows, of the more than 33,000 Ukrainian displaced persons - which is the term I use rather than "refugees", because it is my understanding that is the term they prefer - who have arrived in the country, more than 23,000 are being accommodated by my Department in short-term accommodation. Within my Department, International...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Wards of Court (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice, as the court services are under her remit.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Rights of People with Disabilities (1 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) on 20 March 2018. This marked an important milestone in a process to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland that has gathered momentum since Ireland became a signatory to the Convention in 2007. Ireland submitted its Initial State Report on the implementation of the...