Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Apr 1997

Vol. 478 No. 4

Written Answers. - EU Directives.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

186 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Justice the EU directives coming wholly or partly under the auspices of her Department that are not currently fully implemented; the reference number and subject matter of each directive; the deadline for implementation set out in the directive; whether it is proposed to implement the directive by means of a Bill or by statutory instrument; and when it is proposed to implement the directive. [11363/97]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to my Department is as follows:

Council Directive 95/46/EC of 24 July 1995 on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data and on the Free movement of such Data. The directive must be transposed into Irish law by October 1998.

The directive seeks to facilitate the free movement of data within the Community by affording individuals an equivalent level of protection with regard to the processing of personal data. Approximation of the various national data protection laws has proved necessary because of the wide divergences between them as a result of data-exchange requirements imposed by completion of the internal market.

The legislative measures needed to give effect to the directive will involve changes to the Data Protection Act, 1988. The necessary legislation should be enacted prior to October 1998. Work is not yet at a stage where it is possible to say when the text of a Bill will be available.