Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
988. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to the Cabinet decision last week on the application of general data protection regulation, GDPR, to mother and baby home records, if this personal information will also cover vaccination records and vaccine trial records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33860/20]
View answerThe application of GDPR will apply to the full archive of the records of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes which is due to be deposited with my Department by 28 February 2021. The Commission was expressly tasked with examining certain vaccine trials so it is possible that the archive may contain relevant information.
My Department will continue to engage closely with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and the Attorney General to ensure that the rights of all citizens to access personal information about themselves, under data protection legislation and the GDPR are fully respected and implemented, and additional resources will be provided where necessary. My Department will provide appropriate guidance for individuals in good time to assist persons wishing to access personal information from this archive when its transfers to my Department.
For the avoidance of any doubt, it is important to clarify that the Commission is not in possession of original departmental or State records. State records, remain in the possession of the relevant public bodies and access is regulated in accordance with existing statute.
