Vol. 558 No. 6
177 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the Garda Commissioner has issued instructions that the vehicle registration database should not be interrogated by any member of An Garda Síochána for the purpose of supplying information to former members; the persons who have access to the vehicle registration database; and the purpose for which these persons have access. [25319/02]
I am informed by the Garda authorities that disclosure of personal and other computerised and manual data including data relating to vehicle registration by members of the Garda Síochána is covered by Garda regulations and by statute.
The Garda Síochána Code states, inter alia, that “in no circumstances will any member of An Garda Síochána disclose any information – computerised or manual – on data subjects to any member of the public”.
Disclosure of personal data held on Garda IT systems to non-Garda personnel is also governed by the Data Protection Act, 1988, which outlines the circumstances in which personal data may be disclosed to third parties.
All computer systems in use within the Garda organisation are registered with the Data Protection Commissioner. The purposes for which data within these systems are used are outlined in the registration, and include law enforcement, compliance with powers and functions assigned in consonance with the Garda Síochána Acts and other legislation, demands for police service and in furtherance of their mission statement.
The national vehicle file is managed by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Data from the file are passed to the Garda Síochána at regular intervals for inclusion on the PULSE computer system. The national vehicle file data held by the Garda Síochána are provided for in regulations and legislation referred to above.
Audit logs are in place in the PULSE system to ensure that all accesses and updates of records are tracked and auditable.
Question No. 178 answered with Question No. 166.
