DATA PROTECTION and information governance consultant Daragh O’Brien of Castle-bridge Associates raised concerns about the household charge website on his personal blog on Wednesday.
He confirmed he had made a complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner, in a personal capacity, in relation to the collection of the personal public service number (PPSN) of individuals registering to pay the charge on the site.
Mr O’Brien’s complaint centres on whether that personal information is relevant to the processing of the household charge payment.
Mr O’Brien said the collection of other information on the site, such as the source of a home’s water supply, indicated the potential for “scope creep” of the household charge database.
As of now, he said, data provided by individuals via the site could be used for one purpose alone, namely the collection of the household charge.
Mr O’Brien said there was “absolutely no clarity” with regard to who controlled the data.
“Where they were introducing a charge against resistance, they should have taken the time to make it open and transparent in order to minimise resistance to the charge. They have done the exact opposite.”
Mr O’Brien had raised concerns the website was in breach of a Google policy in how it was using a system called Google Analytics, which collects information on the use of websites.
The body managing the website, the Local Government Management Agency, amended the privacy statement to address this.
Chief executive Paul McSweeney said the body would work with other agencies to establish a protocol for exchanging data for the purposes of creating a residential property database.
Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy, who has also made a complaint to the commissioner, said no information should be given by utility providers to facilitate the implementation of the household tax without the consent of the customers concerned.