asked the Minister for Justice whether this State has signed and ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Data Protection; and, if not, whether it is intended to do so.
434.
Written Answers. - Convention on Data Protection.
433.
asked the Minister for Justice whether he intends to introduce legislation to require all data-banks containing information on private individuals, whether public or private, to be made subject to authorisation and registration and to give all individuals a right to know the information being held about them and where it is held; and if he will give individuals the right to correct wrong or misleading entries and confer on them an entitlement to damages resulting from the use of wrong or misleading entries.
435.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the widespread public concern over the unauthorised transfer of computer file information; and if he intends to introduce legislation to prevent such abuses.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 433, 434 and 435 together.
The State has not signed or ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Data Protection.
Proposals for legislation on the protection of the privacy of computerised personal data, which would enable this country to give effect to the Convention, are now in course of preparation. My Department invited comments some time ago from interests likely to be concerned, and the response has been helpful and positive. The general intention is that the proposed legislation will provide for the observance of the basic principles of data protection set out in the Convention. A considerable number of important issues have yet to be settled, however, and I am not in a position at the moment to say how particular aspects are likely to be dealt with. When the legislative proposals are at a more advanced stage, consideration will be given to signing the Convention. Ratification would follow on the enactment of the legislation.