Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department's investigation into the circumstances in which a number of civil servants are reported to have accessed the personal welfare records of a person (details supplied) has been completed; if any action has been taken on foot of the investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4709/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Arising from reports in the media, my Department carried out an examination of accesses to the computer record of the person concerned.

On a general basis, staff of my Department are authorised to access individual records as long as it is for legitimate business reasons. In view of the number of accesses in this case, managers were asked to examine the matter in order to establish if there were genuine business reasons for their staff accessing the record. The staff concerned were asked to set out the reason they accessed the record and managers have drawn up reports on the basis of their replies. These reports are currently being considered by the personnel officer, who will decide if action is required in each case under the Civil Service disciplinary procedures.

My Department views its obligations to safeguard the privacy of data under its control very seriously and has undertaken a considerable amount of work in this area over the past few years. A review is under way to see if new approaches and technologies can be applied to strengthen our controls in this area.