I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 48 together.
Neither I nor the Central Bank have any role in relation to information held by the Irish Credit Bureau. The Irish Credit Bureau is a privately run entity and is subject to the Data Protection legislation.
On the issue more generally, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner was established under the Data Protection Act 1988. The Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003 updated the legislation, implementing the provisions of EU Directive 95/46. Under the Data Protection Acts, an individual can demand that any inaccurate information held should be corrected.
The Data Protection Commissioner is responsible for upholding the rights of individuals as set out in the Acts, and enforcing the obligations upon data controllers. The Commissioner is appointed by Government and is independent in the exercise of his or her functions. Individuals who feel that their rights are being infringed should bring the matter to the attention of the Data Protection Commissioner, who will investigate the matter, and take whatever steps may be necessary to resolve it.
The Deputy may wish to draw his concerns to the attention of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.