Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2020-10-16
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Lynn Ruane (IND), University of Dublin

I need to respond to the Minister because I will be pressing my amendment. It is disappointing the way the sections are being so narrowly considered. The entire premise of the 2004 Act is not secrecy. Section 198 of the Data Protection Act 2018 makes clear that the right of subject access is only restricted in so far as is necessary and proportionate in order to help a commission to operate effectively. It does not apply on a blanket basis. The 2004 Act afforded discretion to a commission to give people the documents they needed as a witness, which it did not do. On that basis, and I suppose on the basis that the Minister is not willing to consider the amendments, I will be pushing the point in the context of Senator Bacik's amendment. I will also be pressing the amendment in my name.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2020-10-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:41+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-10-16