Seanad debates

Thursday, 20 April 2023

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

9:30 am

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My contribution relates to the appearance by Mr. Watt at the Oireachtas committee and the former Attorney General, Senator McDowell, might have a view on this. If Mr. Watt's computer was hacked, as he alleged, then there could be a data protection issue. Did Mr. Watt report this to the Data Protection Commissioner, DPC? He would have a lot of data on his computer and would be obliged to inform the DPC that his emails were hacked. His computer would have a lot of information on it, including a lot of confidential documents and personal information on a lot of people. The question he has to answer, which could lead us elsewhere, is whether he informed the DPC. It is not the role of this House to ascertain that. It is for the Oireachtas committee and the Minister for Health to determine if his email account and his laptop were hacked because there would be a lot of excel spreadsheets and a lot of very personal documents therein. Mr. Watt has a lot more questions to answer. Did he follow the correct procedures in relation to protecting people's data, now that he alleges his laptop was hacked?

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.