- Enforcing jurisdiction
- Ireland · Geography does not establish applicable law.
- Confirmed applicable legislation
- Privacy topics
Departement of Social Security – €550,000 Fine (Ireland, 2025)
Privacy enforcement record
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The Irish Data Protection Commission fined the Department of Social Security €550,000 for mishandling biometric data. The department used a registration process that lacked a legal basis for processing sensitive data. This case underscores the importance of having a solid legal framework for data processing.
What happened
The department processed biometric data for a Public Services Card without a sufficient legal basis.
Who was affected
Individuals applying for a Public Services Card, whose biometric data was processed improperly.
What the authority found
The authority ruled that the department failed to provide adequate information and did not conduct a necessary data protection impact assessment.
Why this matters
This fine emphasizes that organizations must have a clear legal basis for processing sensitive data and should inform users properly about how their data is used.
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Automated check recorded — 6 March 2026.
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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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