Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister referred to new technology. In recent days we have heard a little about the PRISM data collection system which is apparently being used by the CIA to collect information, etc. In the context of the Bill and from where the information available to the Minister will come, I imagine that quite a number of foreign intelligence agencies are co-operating with the Irish intelligence agency and its counterpart in the North regarding the G8 summit. What is the level of engagement in this regard? If the CIA, for example, gave the Minister a tip-off about an impending bomb attack or whatever, how certain could we be with regard to its reliability? How will the information that will be made available to the Minister be handled? Will the Defence Forces, the Garda or some other entity have responsibility in this regard?

In the context of PRISM, we have been informed that the CIA is mining e-mails and other electronic data held on the servers or server farms owned by the large communications companies. I understand that, for example, Google has a number of the such server farms on the island of Ireland. Do the events about which we have been hearing in recent days happen with the knowledge of the Irish State and the Minister for Justice and Equality? Would the Minister be aware of what is happening in respect of PRISM?

Does there have to be permission given to them to trawl through an electronic farm or data storage site based on the island of Ireland? This is in the context of bringing forward new legislation and, as the Minister for Justice and Equality noted, keeping up with the technology. Certainly, technology is changing quickly. Do we sanction such trawling? If it is proved that the prism process is ongoing and taking place on the island of Ireland in the State of Ireland through these servers etc., are we comfortable with that?