Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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28. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way he will permit An Post to access TV subscription data for payment of the TV licence taking into consideration data protection concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31651/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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As you will be aware, the Government gave approval to my Department to prepare legislation to enable the TV Licence Collecting Agent (currently An Post) to access the subscription data held by TV service providers, including Sky and UPC.

The legislation will be designed to allow the Collecting Agent to have access to the information solely for its statutory functions in relation to licence fee collection and the commercial confidentially of the information will be safeguarded. My Department will consult with the Data Protection Commissioner in due course in relation to the drafting of legislation to ensure that it takes full account of data minimisation and data security principles.