THE DATA Protection Commissioner’s office will today meet officials from the Department of the Environment to discuss protocols to be put in place governing any attempts to pursue people for the household charge through agencies such as the ESB.
The commissioner, Billy Hawkes, made contact with the department in December after the legislation providing for the €100 was published because of the proposal to seek out data on ESB customers in cases where the charge was not paid.
Mr Hawkes had expressed similar concern when the issue arose in the context of the enabling legislation for the €200 tax on second properties.
Earlier this month he described the proposal to extend data sharing to commercial bodies as a “disturbing development”.
A meeting had already been arranged for this week following the commissioner’s contact with the department in December.
It is expected strict protocols will be agreed governing how any such information may be sought and how it might be provided where necessary to pursue unpaid charges.
Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has insisted sharing of information between “relevant data holders” such as the ESB will be sought before the end of March, which is the payment deadline for the household charge.
He has also said it is his intention that any access to data would be “as limited as is practicably possible”.
Responding last week to the concerns raised, Mr Hogan said his department would work with the commissioner “to make sure that we comply with information, and respect the privacy of individuals”.
As of yesterday afternoon, some 32,396 properties had been registered for the household charge, according to Department of the Environment figures.