Child and Family Agency

Tuesday, 30 May 2017

Questions (648)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

648. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal received an acknowledgement from the local Tusla office of a freedom of information request which was addressed to and received by a separate third party; the way in which this error occurred; the way in which the agency came to hold a third party's information on file; if her attention has been drawn to the serious breach in confidentiality and data protection which such an action has caused to the privacy of the correspondent in this case; if she will instruct the agency to issue a full apology and explanation to the person involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25280/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The information supplied by the Deputy has been raised with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The issue of data protection is of the highest importance, both to my Department and to Tusla.

Tusla has advised that an apology and explanation will be issued to the person concerned, and that this is in progress. I have also requested Tusla to furnish me with a report into this matter as a matter of urgency.