Right to be forgotten for cancer survivors
Catherine Ardagh seeks Government amendments to progress legislation allowing cancer survivors to obtain mortgages without disclosing historic diagnoses. The Taoiseach will ask Ministers when the amendments will be brought forward.
I previously introduced right-to-be-forgotten legislation as a Private Members' Bill. The Central Bank (Amendment) Bill was adopted by the Government and obviously was part of the programme for Government. However, we are still waiting on the Government amendments so that legislation can be progressed to Committee Stage. So many cancer survivors are waiting for this legislation to give them certainty, especially when seeking to buy a home. The right-to-be-forgotten legislation allows cancer survivors to move on from their cancer diagnoses so that after a period of five years or so, these diagnoses will not be considered when they are seeking life cover to purchase homes. I ask the Taoiseach to find out when the Government amendments will be published so the right-to-be-forgotten legislation can move to Committee Stage and be progressed further because there are a lot of people waiting for it.
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy very much. I pay tribute to her on her initiative on the legislation, which she introduced. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Robert Troy, about when they expect the amendments to come forward. I will revert to the Deputy because I believe it is important legislation, particularly for those with cancer and survivors of cancer. This Bill will be of great benefit.