The government must reflect on the use of biometric facial scans by State bodies following the €550,000 fine handed down to the Department of Social Protection by the Data Protection Commission (DPC), according to Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide.
Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on social protection, said:
“It has today been confirmed that the department was fined more than half a million euro after a number of deficiencies in its compliance with European data privacy rules were found.
“Among its findings, the DPC ruled that the department unlawfully collected biometric data from 70 per cent of the population over a 15-year period when issuing a Public Services Card. Not only was this data held unlawfully, but the department failed to tell card users why it was collecting their facial records, or show why it was legal.
“While this fine should be a source of embarrassment to the department, the ruling is overdue and will come as no surprise to those who have been critical of the use of biometric data for the Public Services Card, which has been issued to millions of citizens.
“This controversy has rumbled on for almost two decades. In 2017, the then minister Regina Doherty even denied that biometric data was being collected or held by the Department of Social Protection – a claim that a subsequent government had to row back on three years later.
“The fine issued to the department is a vindication of civil liberties groups and data privacy campaigners who have long objected to the use of facial scans during the processing of Public Service Cards.
“These concerns were also shared by former Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy, who repeatedly raised this issue with previous ministers.”
June 12, 2025