Vol. 434 No. 4
115 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Justice if she will introduce the Data Protection Directive of the EC; if her attention has been drawn to the hostility of European financial sector organisations to it; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The Directive referred to by the Deputy has not been finalised. A proposal for a Council Directive on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (SYN 287) is being examined by an EC Council Working Group, at whose meetings officials of my Department attend on behalf of this country. I am aware of the concerns expressed by European financial sector organisations on the Draft Directive and I can assure the Deputy that their views are being taken fully into account during ongoing discussions at Council Working Group level.
