Child Benefit Administration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2015

Thursday, 16 July 2015

Questions (103)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

103. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 has received yet another review of a child benefit claim following just days after the claim was reinstated; if this person is being specifically targeted, given that the person was subjected to several reviews since 2012; if the error made by her Department in respect of details on this person's PPS number is at the heart of the issue; if the person has been given a full and frank explanation of how this error occurred; if not, when will the person receive this; in the event that the Data Protection Act was breached, if this was notified to the Data Commissioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30180/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

As part of the review process associated with the child benefit scheme a system generated continuing eligibility certificate was automatically issued to the person concerned on the 29 June 2015. The issue of this continuing eligibility certificate although it coincided with the claim review referred to had no relationship to that review and had been set to issue in any event as part of a batch issuing to customers paid by EFT. The Department wishes to reassure the person concerned that he is not being targeted or subjected to any different treatment to other customers. In this respect, as a review has already been conducted in his case, it is not necessary for him to return the certificate and the Department accepts his bona fides and his on-going entitlement to child benefit.

On the 3 July 2015 the Department acknowledged the initial error in a letter to the person concerned and apologised unreservedly for the unnecessary distress caused. The Department has not contacted the Data Protection Commissioner in relation to this case as there was no data breach in DSP in this instance and no personal data was put at risk of unauthorised disclosure.

Question No. 104 answered with Question No. 55.