Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donovan, for his very comprehensive opening statement, amounting to all of 18 minutes. I appreciate the detail in his opening speech.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill this afternoon. Fianna Fáil supports it. With the exception of Senator Higgins and the Acting Chairman, all four Members in the Chamber are members of the finance committee. We considered the Bill for a long time and met various stakeholders, civil servants and others involved in the process. Senator Conway-Walsh, Senator Paddy Burke and I, and our parties, are supportive of the concept of data sharing in government once there are suitable and appropriate controls in place to ensure people do not abuse the idea. It makes an awful lot of sense. As ordinary members of the public, we have all availed of taxation services online and paid for motor tax online.It is a fantastic resource. All the data are there already and are available. Different Departments can share information, as can the local authorities, the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Health, the HSE and other people. It is important that all the data stack up, make sense and communicate with each other. Equally, it is important not to have situations such as when a certain individual won €170 million in the EuroMillions lottery and suddenly 67 or 68 people in the Revenue Commissioners took a look at her accounts to see what she was up to. I am not suggesting this Bill has anything to do with that. I believe that person was from the Minister of State's constituency.