Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Social Protection, further to Parliamentary Question No. 105 of 6 October 2011, the number of times in 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011 she has invoked section 8 of the Data Protection Act 1988 as a means to combat social welfare fraud. [29535/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As I have previously advised the Deputy, my Department has, in the last number of years, been engaged in extensive data matching exercises with a number of other Government Departments and public bodies for control purposes, in line with data protection requirements.

The Department has an extensive legal structure to support the sharing of data for the purpose of controlling the entitlement and payment of benefits. The legislative provisions which allow for the specific sharing of data are contained in section 261 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005.

In view of this comprehensive social welfare legislation, the Department does not specifically invoke section 8 of the Data Protection Act, 1988, as a means to combat fraud. However, all of the exchanges of data with other agencies are in compliance with both the Department's legislation and with Section 8 of the