Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has today written to the Data Protection Commissioner on foot of a parliamentary reply she received from the Department of Finance as to the circumstances surrounding the circulation of internal IBRC documents by a former IBRC executive.
Deputy Murphy had asked the Minister for Finance if he had engaged with the special liquidators of IBRC to ascertain how internal IBRC documents had been furnished to a former IBRC debtor for his use in an ongoing court case with which the State now has an involvement. The documents were furnished by a former executive of IBRC who has now sworn an affidavit in favour of the former debtor.
The parliamentary reply from the Minister for Finance acknowledged that the Special Liquidators had advised the Department that they would not be in a position to comment on the circumstances leading to the former IBRC employee circulating documentation belonging to IBRC.
Catherine Murphy TD said:
“It is clear that internal IBRC documents have been circulated for use in a court case which now involves the state. I believe it is important to understand how such a data breach occurred and with that in mind I have written to the DPC asking her to exercise her powers under Section 10 of the Data Protection Act to commence an investigation into what appears to be a data breach within IBRC and/or the liquidation process.”
10th April 2018
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
PQs and associated reply herein:
For Oral Answer on : 27/03/2018
Question Number(s): 87,95,107,115,178,210 Question Reference(s): 11060/18, 11099/18, 11031/18, 11110/18, 11066/18, 14247/18
Department: Finance
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QUESTION
* To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department has engaged with the special liquidator of IBRC regarding the release of internal documents by a former official of the bank (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Catherine Murphy T.D.
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 27 March, 2018.
* To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the circumstances which allowed a person (details supplied) to furnish internal IBRC documents to a further person (details supplied) regarding the conduct of a person (details supplied) on matters pertaining to the IBRC’s treatment of a debtor; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Catherine Murphy T.D.
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 27 March, 2018.
* To ask the Minister for Finance if he has engaged with the special liquidator of IBRC regarding the release of internal bank documents by a former bank official to a former debtor of the bank (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Catherine Murphy T.D.
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 27 March, 2018.
* To ask the Minister for Finance the circumstances which led to a former official of a bank (details supplied) making allegations against another person and furnishing internal IBRC documents to a further person for use in a legal case being pursued; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Catherine Murphy T.D.
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 27 March, 2018.
* To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department has engaged with the special liquidator of a bank (details supplied) regarding the release of internal documents by a former official of the bank to a former debtor of the bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Catherine Murphy T.D.
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 27 March, 2018.
* To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department has engaged with the special liquidator of IBRC regarding the release of internal IBRC documents by a former IBRC official (details supplied) to a former debtor of the bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Catherine Murphy T.D.
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 27 March, 2018.
REPLY
I am advised by the Special Liquidators of IBRC that, having obtained information that a former employee of IBRC may have had documentation in his possession which belonged to IBRC, their legal advisors engaged in correspondence with the former employee to get details of what documentation was in his possession and the circumstances surrounding same. They sought and obtained an undertaking that such documentation has now been returned and that the former employee has no further documentation in his possession relating to IBRC.
The Special Liquidators further advised that they are not in a position to comment on the circumstances which led the former employee to provide an affidavit in the legal case. The Special Liquidators have however sought a further undertaking from the former employee that he will not provide any confidential information to any third party without seeking the consent of the Special Liquidators in advance. The Special Liquidators have confirmed that they are considering the matter further with their legal advisors.