Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Finance the progress in developing legislation to create an integrated insurance fraud database; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39092/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Cost of Insurance Working Group Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance’ (January 2017) includes a recommendation to establish a fully functioning integrated fraud database for industry to detect patterns of fraud managed by an independent not-for-profit body but funded by industry. This approach is designed to provide for complete and open access to the data held on any such database for all market participants.  

The current position in relation to the development of this database is that the Insurance Fraud Database Working Group, chaired by the Crime Division of the Department of Justice and Equality  (DJE)is continuing to meet in order to work through the various requirements of such a database including satisfactory data protection requirements.

In this regard, DJE submitted a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) on the current industry database ‘Insurance Link’ to the Office of the Data Protection Commission (ODPC) on behalf of Insurance Ireland in June 2019. DJE is continuing to engage with Insurance Ireland and the Office of the Data Protection Commission on this matter.

It is too early at this stage to consider whether legislation is needed to underpin such a database. A decision of this nature can only be made when all data protection-related issues have been addressed. If it becomes apparent that legislation is required, my Department will consider in conjunction with the Department of Justice and Equality how to progress this matter appropriately.

Subject to consultation with the ODPC, the next phase towards implementation of this recommendation will require the identification of an appropriate independent body to manage the database. The Cost of Insurance Working Group will continue to closely monitor progress of the implementation of this recommendation.