Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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110. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of Departments that have access to data and photographs contained in the Passport Service data sets; the purpose for which each Department is using data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44827/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, holds personal information in respect of passport applicants for the purpose of processing applications for passport by such individuals. The Passport Service’s legal basis for processing personal data is provided for by Section 8(1) of the Passports Act 2008, as amended.

As a Data Controller, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade must comply with the provisions of relevant legislation, namely the Data Protection Act 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and all applicable laws and regulations relating to the processing of personal data and privacy, including, where applicable the guidance and codes of practice issued by the Data Protection Commission.

My Department has confirmed that no other Government Department has access to data or photographs of passport records held by the Passport Service.

However, in line with Section 41 of the Data Protection Act 2018, the Passport Service shares certain information at the request of public authorities solely for the purpose of preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting criminal offices. The data provided cannot be used for any purpose other than that for which it was obtained.