Abuse of public office - confidentiality breach

badpolitics · 17-03-2015 5:28pm #1

Dear Members,

Does anybody in the legal world have insight into what the legal implications are when a member of Dail Eireann abuses their status as a member of the House to obtain confidential information which they then pass to a private business for personal gain?

More info available on request.

Welcome your insights. Thank you.

Kristopherus · 17-03-2015 5:37pm

Welcome to Boards. Your best bet is to write to the Secretary General of the Oireachtas. That way you will keep the politicians at arms length and you complaint will be dealt with by a senior civil servant, which, imo, is the better option.

irishgirl19 · 17-03-2015 5:53pm

Make a complaint to the data protection commissioner

Meauldsegosha · 17-03-2015 6:06pm

It's not really a data protection issue. OP you can report the TD to the Standard in Public Office Commission.

http://www.sipo.gov.ie/en/

badpolitics · 18-03-2015 4:31pm

Thank you - very helpful.

Will look into a complaint to Secretary General and to Standards in Public Office Commission.

Any other suggestions also welcome.

badpolitics · 18-03-2015 4:38pm

I read something about politicians being eligible for 6 months imprisonment for revealing confidential information to a third party. Does this only apply to Cabinet Ministers and to information received from a public office, or would it apply to all confidential information shared with all politicians, including from a constituent?

6 months in prison would be almost a free pass for this particular crime which is more like an incident out of House of Cards than out of Ireland.

Abuse of public office - confidentiality breach

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