Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The type of data we are talking about are social insurance records. The provision would allow the payment of the necessary benefits that people are entitled to. Initially we had thought we would need a data protection change but we did not as it relates to the law enforcement directive, which has its own data protection requirements. We can make this agreement through an exchange of letters. The purpose is so that we can have recovery of benefits and assistance. Furthermore, where, for example, someone receives a benefit and gets a claim from an insurance company and the insurance company is based in the UK, then we can get that information if we need it. That is the purpose of it.

Deputy Donnelly asked about Northern Ireland. I said earlier that approximately 98% of some of the payments go to people who are resident in Northern Ireland and working here. We are satisfied that with this arrangement the people in Northern Ireland will get all the benefits to which they are entitled. That was probably the overriding issue because that is where most of them go and we want to ensure they get all their entitlements.