Lotto winner's file accessed by 125 officials

SOCIAL AFFAIRS Minister Séamus Brennan has confirmed that 125 officials in his department accessed the social welfare records of lottery winner Dolores McNamara after she claimed her €115 million jackpot.

An internal inquiry under way will establish if anybody accessed the files inappropriately, and what disciplinary actions should be taken as a result, he said.

It was recently revealed that there had been an unusually high volume of activity in relation to the Limerick woman's files following her win. There were concerns that a civil servant may have leaked private information on Ms McNamara to the media.