Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 2

Written Answers. - Computerised Data.

Richard Bruton

Question:

388 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is implementing the directive governing the rights of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that members of the public have been refused access to data held on them by public bodies when they have sought such under this directive; the steps he will take, if any, to assist such individuals to exercise their rights under this directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18064/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

Legislation to amend the Data Protection Act, 1988, in order to give effect to Directive 95/46/EC on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is in the course of being drafted for publication as soon as possible. The Act of 1988 already gives a right to persons to establish the existence of computerised data held on them by a data controller and to have access to any such data. Implementation of the directive by way of the necessary legislative provisions will extend the principle of data protection to manual data including the right to establish the existence of such data and to have access to it.