Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

There seems to be some sense behind the Senator's suggestion on how we address the issue of large vehicles avoiding tolls, which brings traffic to areas we do want it in. However, it is not for this piece of legislation, which relates to the insurance rather than the toll management systems. As I said in my introductory remarks, it is to the advantage of hauliers to be treated like all other fleet owners. As I recall, any company or organisation with more than five vehicles is described as a fleet. Many hauliers might have only one or two trucks and that will not apply but where it does fit within the definition of "fleet", it is absolutely appropriate that the database be updated in the way set out here.

On the data protection issue, this does provide for designated data controllers and GDPR legislation then applies a whole range where one is designated as being the authority with responsibility for managing it and it sets out the whole series of what is required including the date of birth, the policy number, the period of cover and so on. It is setting out what some of that information is, so it is providing an up-to-date approach. As I said in my introduction, it is applying GDPR principles in how we do this.

The replacement section 78A(11) introduced by amendment No. 12 would make the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland, MIBI, subject to regulations made by the Minister. We want to have access where data protection inputs are required and where those regulations are put in place to meet data protection rules. This amendment is, as I said, providing for us to be compliant with the GDPR. I think the Senator might agree when I say the GDPR has been one of the most progressive pieces of European legislation and put some good regulatory controls in place. Our own Data Protection Commissioner has obviously been very involved in the drafting of these regulations to ensure we are compliant with the European legislation.