Seanad debates

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage

 

2:00 pm

Photo of Paschal MooneyPaschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support this recommendation as outlined by Senator Cullinane, The respected commentator in The Irish Times, Noel Whelan - I mean that sincerely as he is a very respected political commentator and I declare an interest in that I have known him for many years - wrote a column at the height of the Irish Water controversy when it first started some months back and outlined that I was the only Member of either House to have raised the issue of personal public service, PPS, numbers being required under the legislation. I am not boasting about the fact but just pointing out that it was something that the overwhelming majority of Members of both Houses and all parties did not pick up on at the time. I was somewhat taken aback by the fact that first, this was being introduced in a social welfare Bill and, second, that when I raised the issue in an exchange with the Minister of State's line Minister, Deputy Burton, it was pointed out to me that the main reason PPS numbers were being sought was to ensure the allowances that were to be given to children under the age of 18 would be accurately calculated. It seemed, on the face of it, a fair response if it was going to mean that households would be paying less and that such information was needed in that respect, but I was deeply uncomfortable about a semi-State agency - at that stage we were not sure exactly what the status of Irish Water would be - would have detailed and intimate information in order to provide this allowance. I was concerned, and I raise it again in the context of this recommendation, that there was real danger that Irish Water could sell on or could give third parties access to those numbers, even though the Minister assured that would not be the case. As it transpired the Data Protection Commissioner became very exercised about this issue, so much so that he raised serious concerns about it. That was the background and the context.
Like all public representatives I am lobbied and receive representations from a wide variety of both individuals and organisations but in all the time I have served in this House I have never received as many e-mails on the Irish Water issue as I have in the past three days. I stopped counting them at 2,500 e-mails and they are still pouring into my e-mail account. The same is the true for all Senators and particularly Senators because the issue is being addressed to Senators as this matter is coming before us later in the week. My initial reaction was that this was a concerted lobby from some vested interests but it is not because I have replied to some of these people. It is impossible to physically reply to all of them but I have replied to some who have raised particular issues about the Irish Water legislation. Some very sad cases of family circumstances have been outlined to me in those emails.

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