Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The GDPR and the Data Protection Act and the Bill are different because the main thrust of the Bill is in regard to data sharing agreements. As I stated, a person with legal qualifications is involved in the signing of those agreements and that is one of several differentiating factors between the Bill and the Act to which the Senator referred.

In regard to the wide remit to which the Senator also referred, section 9(3) of the Bill provides that the Minister would have the power to exclude a public body if required to so do. If compliance with the Bill were too onerous or not required for a particular public body, there is provision in the Bill for it to be excluded.

On bodies which are wholly or partly funded by the State, I give the example of local authorities, which fund a significant element of their work from resources they generate and also receive resources from the State. Some of their activities are wholly State-funded while others are partly funded by the State. However, they are public bodies; the bulk of their work is directed at serving the public. The intention is to cover the public bodies referred to in the definition for the purposes which I have already set out. I hope I have clarified the difference between the Data Protection Act and the Bill.