Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 109: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of investigations that have been concluded or are currently under way in the Revenue Commissioners into individual security breaches or alleged breaches and or inappropriate accessing of information by staff; the basis on which each of these cases was commenced; the number of clients affected by each case; if, in relation to all investigations, they are current or completed; the sanctions that have been taken against staff; the sanction the Data Protection Commissioner has taken against the Revenue Commissioners; the number and amount of fines paid in each case; the number of civil cases that are being or have been taken against the Revenue Commissioners; and the outcome of any so far concluded. [28920/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that since 1 January 2000 no investigations have been concluded or are currently underway into individual security breaches or alleged breaches by staff. Since the same date there have been seven investigations concluded and one investigation is currently underway into staff conduct involving the inappropriate accessing of information. The inappropriate accessing of information constituted access commonly referred to as "browsing" and in respect of cases concluded the Commissioners have no evidence that clients were affected.

The staff investigations were commenced under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code. Sanctions taken against staff were as provided under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code and ranged from the issuing of warning letters to reducing pay and debarment from applying for promotion and entering promotion competitions. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners are in ongoing contact and co-operate fully on any data protection issues that arise. To date, sanctions have not been taken by the Data Protection Commissioner against the Revenue Commissioners and no fines have been levied.

We have identified one civil case, in a context where debt collection activity was being pursued on behalf of Revenue, where High Court proceedings were taken against the Revenue Commissioners in 2005 by an individual taxpayer for an alleged breach of Data Protection and the European Convention on Human Rights. The proceedings against Revenue are being defended but have been dormant since our Defence was served on the taxpayer in April 2006.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners are investigating the circumstances and amount of wage payments made to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 in relation to their records on their files; when this investigation will be concluded and the employee's records corrected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29010/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they have written to the taxpayer to ascertain details of the actual wages received by him for each year that he was employed by the company in question. On receipt of this information the Revenue Commissioners will investigate the matter and will advise the taxpayer of the outcome without delay.