Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1104. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that were taken to retrieve information and correspondence that was shared by the then Minister for Health regarding the GMS general practitioner contract through private messaging services in the conduct of official Department business in response to a request (details supplied); the efforts made to retrieve the records requested such as messages sent over social media; the response received by his Department as it sought those records; the Departmental policy when such records, which are official department records, cannot be retrieved or are not shared with the Department by the office holder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22350/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In accordance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014, having received an FOI request, the FOI body must take all reasonable steps to identify and locate the records requested. The steps taken to identify and locate records, and the results of those efforts, regarding the FOI request concerned have been set out in the decision letter issued. Under Chapter 3 of the Act, a requester not satisfied with the decision on their FOI request may ask the FOI body to review that decision. 

It is not the policy of the Department of Health to monitor stored files, voicemail, e-mail, etc. However, the Department retains the right to review, audit, intercept, access and disclose all files and messages created, received or sent using its ICT facilities for the purpose of performance, maintenance, auditing, security or investigative functions and to protect itself and users from potential liability under pornographic, equality, data protection, copyright legislation etc.