EU passenger records plan condemned
EU plans forcing airlines to give passenger records to police authorities create a Big Brother society and increase the cost of air travel, an Oireachtas Committee has said.
The proposals fail to strike the right balance between an individual’s right to privacy and the need to fight international terrorism, TDs and Senators said.
The report by the Oireachtas Committee on EU Scrutiny was compiled following public hearings in Leinster House with the Data Protection Commissioner, Aer Lingus and Ryanair.
Passenger Name Record (PNR) is personal and confidential data provided by the passenger at the time of reservation, check-in and boarding.
The all-party body also believes moves to compel airlines to pass on PNR would mean that the cost of air travel would increase for travellers because it will create more paperwork for airlines.
Committee chairman John Perry said: “We feel that the correct balance has not been reached between the right to privacy of ordinary citizens and the proportionate measures which are needed to fight crime.
“The proposals could lead to a ’surveillance society’ across the EU whereby day to day activities are constantly monitored, and private space is more and more restricted.”
The Fine Gael TD also warned that the measures would increase the cost of air travel.
“This development would increase the administration and organisation costs for airline companies which the committee feels would inevitably result in increasing the cost of air travel for the passenger.”
The report expresses specific concerns such as the transfer of data to other countries which do not have good data protection systems.
Committee members also agree with the Data Commissioner that information could be misinterpreted by police authorities.
The proposed time period of 13 years for retaining the information is also too long, the report said.
Ryanair and easyJet, two of the biggest airlines in the EU, complained that they were not consulted by the EU Commission on the issue.
The Committee’s report, Proposal for A Council Framework Decision on the Use Passenger Name Record (PNR) for Law Enforcement, will be delivered to the Justice Minister to guide Ireland’s negotiations on the proposal.
The measures will require the approval of the Dáil and Seanad to allow them to be adopted by Ireland.
