Departement of Social Security – €550,000 Fine (Ireland, 2025)
General GDPR enforcement action
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The Irish Data Protection Commission fined the Department of Social Security €550,000 for mishandling personal data during the Public Services Card registration process. They processed biometric data without proper legal grounds and failed to inform people about how their data was used. This case serves as a warning for organizations to ensure they have a valid reason for processing sensitive data and to communicate clearly with users.
What happened
The Department of Social Security was fined for processing biometric data without a sufficient legal basis and not informing users properly.
Who was affected
Individuals applying for a Public Services Card whose biometric data was processed without adequate legal justification.
What the authority found
The Data Protection Commission found that the Department violated multiple GDPR rules regarding data processing and transparency.
Why this matters
This fine highlights the importance of having a valid legal basis for processing sensitive data. Organizations must prioritize compliance with data protection laws to avoid significant penalties.
GDPR Articles Cited
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The Irish DPA imposed a fine of EUR 550,000 on the Departement of Social Security. The controller uses the so called SAFE 2 registration process for anyone applying for a Public Services Card. The SAFE 2 registration, which is mandatory, processes biometric data without a sufficient legal basis. The controller also failed to adequately inform data subjects in regards to the processing and to conduct a data protection impact assessment.
Related Enforcement Actions (0)
No other enforcement actions found for Departement of Social Security in IE
This is the only recorded action for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
Fine Date
12 June 2025
Authority
Data Protection Commission
Fine Amount
€550,000
Enforcement Tracker ID
ETid-2657
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Departement of Social Security - Ireland (2025). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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