Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I understand Senator Tuffy's concerns but they would be better dealt with under the Data Protection Act rather than in the Bill. The nature of police work is the transfer of information about people. I believe this could lead to an unnecessary trammelling of an investigation and prevent co-operation with other police forces and Interpol. Increasingly, crime is becoming a cross-border activity. It would be better not to express this in the Bill but to provide for the necessary protection for innocent citizens, concerned at the transfer of information, in the Data Protection Act.