Public Services Card Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2019

Tuesday, 5 November 2019

Ceisteanna (1052)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

1052. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of offences recorded and-or investigated regarding breaches of Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 regarding unspecified bodies requesting a person to produce a public services card since its introduction; the number of complaints by persons to her regarding same since the card has been introduced; if she will provide a schedule of the offending bodies and or organisations that breached Schedule 5 of the Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44657/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

The Public Services Card (PSC) can only be requested by a body specified in Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, and only where that specified body has a transaction with the person concerned.

Specified bodies are, in all cases, required to process and store data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, as amended.

Where my Department is made aware of any requests being made by a non-specified body for a person to produce their PSC, officials from the Department contact the organisation concerned, inform them of the legislative provisions in place in respect of this matter and instruct them to take all necessary steps to comply with social welfare legislation.

I am advised that the Department does not maintain a list of notifications received concerning bodies which have been contacted in relation to questions about PSC use.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.