Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let me indicate that I foresee this issue arising again. Members of the Oireachtas know the difficulties that many citizens, particularly vulnerable citizens, in the State will have in navigating bureaucracy.

I accept that the way I framed amendment No. 27 may not be acceptable to the Minister, but I put it to him that I believe he will see a re-emergence of this concern in respect of automated decision making. If the Minister cannot exclude all circumstances of automated decision making, automated decision making in respect of vulnerable persons or where there is an immediate and serious consequence may need to be dealt with differently.

I will not press my amendment. I am willing to work on refining it. If the Minister spoke of unintended consequences, I think there are very severe unintended consequences to automated decision making becoming the norm. I believe all Departments will see hundreds and hundreds of cases where people are distressed and concerned about an automatic decision that was made on them. It will put undue pressure on all our systems and on the controller in any given Department. Perhaps we can find ways to resolve it.

I will withdraw the amendment but I reserve the right to return to the issue.