Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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656. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a memorandum of understanding or formal data-sharing agreement exists between An Garda Síochána and the Department of Social Protection concerning the transfer of personal data for social welfare investigations; whether such an agreement includes provisions governing data-sharing by An Garda Síochána members seconded to the Department of Justice; whether the agreement permits or restricts the onward sharing by the Department of Justice of data relating to social welfare inspections received by seconded An Garda Síochána members to other public bodies for non-law enforcement purposes, such as administrative or employment-related decisions; and whether such onward sharing would require the knowledge or consent of the seconded An Garda Síochána members performing social welfare inspections. [17643/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm for the Deputy that there is a Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and An Garda Síochána which provides for the secondment of members of An Garda Síochána to my Department for the purposes of detecting and investigating social welfare fraud.

The Memorandum of Understanding requires that any data exchange between my Department and An Gardaí on secondment is subject to the highest standards of confidentiality and security and in accordance with all relevant data protection legislation and rules. Members of An Garda Síochána seconded to my Department are obliged to adhere to the same Data Protection protocols and undertakings as all staff members. There are no provisions in the Memorandum of Understanding related to members of An Garda Síochána seconded to the Department of Justice or to information sharing by that Department.

I trust that the above is of assistance to the Deputy.