The Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 specify appropriate persons to whom a database operator must, at all times, provide a response in respect of the provision of information to facilitate reunification of dogs. The appropriate persons are identified in the Regulations as persons authorised under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, dog wardens, local authority personnel and members of An Garda Siochána. The database operator mentioned provides full access to this data to these bodies.
It is a matter for the authorised database operators to decide whether they grant direct data access to third parties such as animal welfare organisations. I understand it was with GDPR considerations that the IKC recently wrote to a number of welfare organisations advising that while direct access would no longer available, that the IKC would continue to provide assistance to these organisations in contacting the owner on receipt of an email or written request.
As with all four authorised databases, the IKC met a strict set of criteria to become authorised. The IKC continues to meet the requirements of the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations, 2015 and the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013.