Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the procedures in place to protect personal data within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31233/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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A range of measures are in place, including login and password security, to ensure that access to personal data held in electronic format is limited only to those staff authorised to carry out duties in relation to such data. This access control is underpinned by Departmental policies and procedures relating to the use of IT facilities.

My Department's Information Technology systems are protected by security software facilities to prevent unauthorised access or interference from outside of the Department such as 'firewall' protection systems and the setting of password protection both to access the network as a user and to access distinct software packages available on the network. There is also comprehensive protection against computer viruses and so-called 'spam' emailing.

Security measures, including key card security, are in place to ensure that personal data held in hard copy format on my Department's premises is not accessible by unauthorised persons.

Where my Department has a shared service agreement with the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform for payment of staff salaries contractual arrangements are in place to ensure that the integrity, confidentiality and security of all data is maintained and that personal data is fully protected and access strictly limited.

My Department's deciding officers under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 are trained, inter alia, in relation to the treatment of personal data for the purpose of the legislation.