Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 May 2019
7. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she or officials from her Department discussed the issue of the publication of the full final report of the investigation by the Data Protection Commission into the public services card with the commission since the meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on 3 April 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22995/19]
View answer33. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consent to the publication of the full final report of the investigation by the Data Protection Commission into the public services card following the comments by the Deputy Commissioner at the Oirechtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on 3 April 2019 that the DPC has no objection to the publication and that it is the legal position of the DPC that the commission must get the permission of her Department to publish the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22994/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 33 together.
My Department received the Data Protection Commissioner's draft investigation report in respect of the Public Services Card in August 2018.
The draft report contained a number of provisional findings and requested further information and clarifications on certain matters. The Department was specifically asked by the office of the Data Protection Commissioner not to share the draft report with any other party and it intends to abide by that request.
My Department was also given an opportunity to make submissions on the draft report so that the Commissioner could take account of such matters in their further considerations and in finalising their report. Those detailed and comprehensive submissions were provided in late November 2018. A response from the Commissioner is now awaited.
I can confirm that neither myself nor any of my officials have discussed the matter of the publication of the full final report with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner since 3rd of April last.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
