James Bannon (Fine Gael)

The European Parliament is passing far-reaching legislation this week that will require all EU passport holders to have biometric information stored on their passports. We have been told that this is to meet US requirements for visa waivers. This, however, goes beyond those requirements because there is digital face scanning in the US. There should have been greater consultation with national parliaments in Europe on this issue. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs into the House to debate this issue, the costs involved in the issuing of these passports and the effect it will have on states within Europe. What safeguards will there be for the use of biometric information? Will citizens have the right to verify the information as correct? I do not want us to become a surveillance society.