Departmental Communications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018

Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Questions (105)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

105. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach if his Department uses anti-profanity software on its email systems and online contact forms; if so, the level of human oversight that is applied to the monitoring of this software and its effectiveness; and his views on whether persons' legitimate right to petition Government may be blocked unintentionally by errors in the use of such software in determining that which qualifies as profanity being communicated in email or online contact forms. [2093/18]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

All electronic interaction with my Department is through email. There are no online contact forms on my Department's website. An electronic mail filtering product has been programmed to implement my Department's email usage policy. This policy has a number of rules, including one on profanity. The policy is based on a central 'Profanity Dictionary' which my Department's HR Unit approved to provide protection to Departmental staff from abuse. Messages that fall under this rule are placed in a quarantine area. The quarantine is checked daily by staff in my Department's IT Unit and blocked emails are released when appropriate.