Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1213. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if phone lines that are provided for Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas by her Department to make queries in relation to individuals, can transfer a query to discuss a person's case with either this Deputy, a secretarial assistant or parliamentary assistant without declining to discuss a matter by quoting GDPR regulations (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35622/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I confirm that a Member of the Houses of Oireachtas or their nominated assistant(s) may still discuss a query in relation to an individual with officials of this Department on the implicit understanding that the constituent has asked the Member to make enquiries on their behalf.

Section 40 of the Data Protection Act 2018 facilitates the processing of personal data and special categories of personal data by elected representatives.

Section 40 states that, for the purpose of enabling an elected representative to perform his or her functions as such a representative, the processing of personal data and special categories of personal data of a data subject by or on behalf of that representative shall be lawful where he or she receives a request or representation from the data subject.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.