Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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211. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the data protection centre in Portarlington, County Laois will be moved in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28422/19]

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the long-term plans for the data protection centre in Portarlington, County Laois; when new signage will replace the old signage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28423/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.

As I advised the Deputy in February 2019, there are no plans to relocate the Data Protection Commission's office located at Station Road, Portarlington, Co. Laois. I am advised that there are 29 staff members working at its Portarlington office across a number of teams (e.g. complaint-handling, investigations, etc.,) and they make a valuable contribution to the statutory functions and role of the Data Protection Commission. As the Deputy will be aware, the Data Protection Commission also has an office in Dublin.

Following the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner became the Data Protection Commission and I understand, as a result, a process commenced to make the necessary signage and related changes to its corporate identity. In addition to new signage which has recently been added to the entrance of the Portarlington office, the Office of Public Works has advised that the painting of the surrounding woodwork and walls is due to be carried out during July 2019.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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213. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a person applies for a job at the data protection office in Portarlington, County Laois will be assigned to just that office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28424/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Vacancies for the Data Protection Commission office in Portarlington are filled at the requisite grade from the Laois panel held by the Public Appointments Service (PAS).

From time to time competitions for specific positions within the Data Protection Commission are run via PAS.  In such instances, the competition notifications clearly state whether the position will be in the Dublin office or in the Laois office.