Getting your personal data from the DSP?

raspberrypie

Hello, I hope this the correct forum, if not could a mod please move. I'm wondering, if you want to get specific personal information which the Department of Social Protection has on you, can you just write to them and ask for it, or should you put in an FOI request?

If a simple letter won't do it, is an FOI request the only way to go, or could you request under Data Protection regs? I think the FOI only started in 1998 so if you wanted specific information held on you prior to that date would the FOI still work or would you need to make a request under Section 4 of the Data Protection Act of 1988?

Also, does anyone know, maybe someone who works for the Department, how long is your personal information held on file? Is it destroyed after a certain number of years? If the paper trail is destroyed is it still held electronically?

For reasons I don't want to get into I need to get some specific information from them, relating to myself, so I am wondering about the best way to do this? Thanks.

eastbono

You would need to put in an FOI request. As regards to whether or not the personal information is destroyed...that would depend on the circumstances and the scheme section that would be holding this information. What you could do is if you know which scheme section may be holding the info then you could contact them and ask how long they hold the paper trail and work on from there with an FOI.

raspberrypie

eastbono wrote: »

You would need to put in an FOI request. As regards to whether or not the personal information is destroyed...that would depend on the circumstances and the scheme section that would be holding this information. What you could do is if you know which scheme section may be holding the info then you could contact them and ask how long they hold the paper trail and work on from there with an FOI.

Thanks. I'm wondering even if the physical stuff has been destroyed, won't it still be held electronically?

Grab All Association

Rates

Section 27 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 provides for fees and charges. The current fees are:

Type of request or application Standard Fee* Reduced Fee**
Initial request for a record Free (was €15) Free (was €10)
Internal review €30 (was €75) €10 (was €25)
Review by Information Commissioner €50 (was €150) €15 (was €50)
Application for amendment containing incorrect information Free Free
Application for reasons for a decision affecting individual Free Free
* There are no fees where you appeal a decision to charge a fee or deposit, or a fee or deposit of a specific amount, under Section 47 of the Act.

** Reduced fees will apply in respect of medical card holders and third parties who appeal a decision to release their information on public interest grounds.

No fees apply where the request involves access to your personal records.

Charges for search, retrieval and copying of records
Charges may be applied by the body for the time spent finding and retrieving records, and for any copying costs incurred by them in providing you with the material requested. It is very unlikely that any charges will be applied in respect of personal records, except where a large number of records are involved.

If the cost of search, retrieval and copying is €100 or less, no charge is applied. If the charge exceeds €100, full fees apply. You cannot be charged more than €500.

If the estimated cost of search, retrieval and copying is more than €700 the body can refuse to process your request, unless you refine your request to bring the search, retrieval and copying fees below this limit.

Type of Charge Standard Charge
Search and retrieval of records €20 per hour
Photocopying 4 cent per sheet
CD-ROM containing copy of documents €10
Radiograph (X-ray) containing copy documents €6

eastbono

It probably wont be held electronically. AFAIK an FOI to SW is free. I will check it out.

raspberrypie

Chris___ wrote: »

Rates

Section 27 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 provides for fees and charges. The current fees are:

Type of request or application Standard Fee* Reduced Fee**
Initial request for a record Free (was €15) Free (was €10)
Internal review €30 (was €75) €10 (was €25)
Review by Information Commissioner €50 (was €150) €15 (was €50)
Application for amendment containing incorrect information Free Free
Application for reasons for a decision affecting individual Free Free
* There are no fees where you appeal a decision to charge a fee or deposit, or a fee or deposit of a specific amount, under Section 47 of the Act.

** Reduced fees will apply in respect of medical card holders and third parties who appeal a decision to release their information on public interest grounds.

No fees apply where the request involves access to your personal records.

Charges for search, retrieval and copying of records
Charges may be applied by the body for the time spent finding and retrieving records, and for any copying costs incurred by them in providing you with the material requested. It is very unlikely that any charges will be applied in respect of personal records, except where a large number of records are involved.

If the cost of search, retrieval and copying is €100 or less, no charge is applied. If the charge exceeds €100, full fees apply. You cannot be charged more than €500.

If the estimated cost of search, retrieval and copying is more than €700 the body can refuse to process your request, unless you refine your request to bring the search, retrieval and copying fees below this limit.

Type of Charge Standard Charge
Search and retrieval of records €20 per hour
Photocopying 4 cent per sheet
CD-ROM containing copy of documents €10
Radiograph (X-ray) containing copy documents €6

Thanks for that but for personal info there are no fees.

raspberrypie

eastbono wrote: »

It probably wont be held electronically. AFAIK an FOI to SW is free. I will check it out.

God, that's odd. You'd expect a government department to store files electronically? Yes, an FOI is free, if seeking access to personal files. Thanks.

eastbono

It depends on how far back. Not all government departments would be up and running with scanning of documents. It really depends on what information you require. I dont need to know what you are looking for. Here is an example of what is available. If its your prsi contribution history that is readily available and you can request it online. If its your claim history this is also readily available and could be requested at your local sw office. If its a statement of amount paid to you this would be available. If its a paper file in relation to an application for some scheme then it could be destroyed depending on if the claimant was still in payment or not.

raspberrypie

eastbono wrote: »

It depends on how far back. Not all government departments would be up and running with scanning of documents.

I'm hoping to get info from 1992 onwards. The info is very specific, and not very complicated, basically just addresses I resided at over the years while registered for SW, as there have been quite a few, moved a lot back in the day, and I can't recall them all.

eastbono

That should be available from 1998 onwards electronically. Highly unlikely that you will be able to get from 1992 to 1998.

raspberrypie

eastbono wrote: »

That should be available from 1998 onwards electronically. Highly unlikely that you will be able to get from 1992 to 1998.

It might, I can always try both. Requests under Sec 4 Data Protection may carry a small fee but nothing to worry about. Why do you think it would be unlikely that I would get 92 to 98?Because FOI doesn't kick in until 98? Or because it wasn't computerised? But then if the DSP can tell me when I was registered for SW since the early 90's, they would surely have to have the addresses at which I was registered? Otherwise, how would they know I was even claiming or not if there were no records?

As for FOI, I thought FOI was, or could be, retrospective? Thanks anyway.

raspberrypie

eastbono wrote: »

If its your claim history this is also readily available and could be requested at your local sw office.

It is the addresses associated with my claims history. So I guess that'll be available if my claims history is available?

eastbono

raspberrypie wrote: »

It is the addresses associated with my claims history. So I guess that'll be available if my claims history is available?

Not necessarily. You should be able to get 1998 onwards. Whats available on the system transferred over from an older system the details of the claims would have transferred but I think thats its only addresses since 1998 approx when the system changed that would be available as it would have been the address that was noted for you is the one that would have been put on the system then. Hope this makes sense.

Kristopherus

eastbono wrote: »

Not necessarily. You should be able to get 1998 onwards. Whats available on the system transferred over from an older system the details of the claims would have transferred but I think thats its only addresses since 1998 approx when the system changed that would be available as it would have been the address that was noted for you is the one that would have been put on the system then. Hope this makes sense.

Maybe I'm wrong, but did the Infosys system not come to fruition before 1998?