Ivana Bacik (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support the amendments put forward by Senator Higgins that refer to the rights of access to personal data. It is the very issue that relates to the data protection commissioner's comments as reported. I welcome that the Minister has said he will engage with the Attorney General on those comments but I take issue with the comment that this is not directly related to the Bill. I certainly agree there are wider issues around access to information, which we all accept. However, this Bill has a very direct connection to the 2004 Act as section 4 directly relates to that Act as to the deposit of copies of records with the Minister. As it refers to the Act and deposits records with the Minister under the 2004 Act, the 30 year rule applies. Through this Bill and section 4 in particular, there is a direct link to the very provisions in the 2004 Act about which the data protection commissioner has expressed such concerns. We must be mindful of the comments of the data protection commissioner and bear them in mind. That points to the difficulties we have with this Bill.