IRELAND’S EU partners are poised to brush aside the Government’s reservations about a data transfer pact with Israel by backing a plan to allow the storage there of sensitive personal data on European citizens.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has campaigned to scrap the measure, citing serious concern about the use of eight fake Irish passports by the alleged Israeli assassins of Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.
Although the Cabinet has instructed a Department of Justice official to push the issue to vote at a meeting today of an EU committee on the protection of personal data, Government sources say Ireland is likely to be in a minority of one on the question.
No single state has a veto on the initiative, as such questions are decided on the basis of a qualified majority vote. This means the initiative is likely to proceed.
Mr Ahern sought in July to block the European Commission initiative by terminating a written procedure under which member states were asked to approve a declaration that the EU recognises Israeli data protection standards as sufficient to allow member states to transfer data there.
The Government believes data used in the forged documents was gleaned from the official inspection of travellers’ passports. Israel has neither confirmed or denied involvement in the assassination.
“The Minister for Justice is highly concerned at the manner in which Irish passports have been copied and forged by agents acting on behalf of Israel,” said a spokesman for Mr Ahern.
“In light of that, a senior official from the Department of Justice will be demanding a full explanation on why Israel should be designated as an acceptable country for the transfer of personal data of EU citizens,” he continued.
The Government wants the commission to set out the procedures it followed when deciding to allow such transfers, and to outline the protections to prevent abuse of personal data stored in Israel.
It also wants the commission to set out what remedies are available to individuals in relation to any abuse of their data. It wants reassurance as to the independence of the data protection authorities in Israel.
The spokesman said: “The commission has been put on notice that Ireland will want to see a detailed explanation as to why Israel is acceptable, and Ireland may press for a vote in relation to the issue. The Minister has been of the view that this issue is far too serious to be allowed go through on the nod.”
Mr Ahern and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin discussed the matter on the sidelines of the Cabinet meeting yesterday. In spite of the perceived absence of support among other member states, they resolved to seek a vote at the meeting today.
“On a point of principle, where passports have been abused by Israel, the Irish official has been instructed to push this to a vote,” said a Government source.
