Q&A: What is Sinn Féin's Abú database and why is it in the news?

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald: Database controversy stemmed after concerns were flagged that certain data may be held on voters without their knowledge,

The Data Protection Commissioner has ruled that the Sinn Féin Abú database was legal, but that parts of its operation were not transparent.

A 53-page audit by the DPC on the data protection activities of political parties comes after the Sinn Féin database made headlines in the summer.

What is the Abú system?

Sinn Féin describes the system as "a canvass aid".

"A database comprising the electoral register and the marked electoral register with additional canvass information as set out below added to the database."

It is essentially the party's internal canvassing and polling system, drawn together centrally.

Why was it controversial?

The controversy stemmed after concerns were flagged that certain data may be held on voters without their knowledge, where the data was stored and who had access to it.

What did the DPC find about it?

The DPC found that the database is legal, builds on electoral registers and data compiled by canvassers and only shows the voting intention of about 6% of voters. However, the DPC also raised questions about how transparent the party is when collecting the data. It said that "one of the main data protection concerns that arose related to transparency and a recommendation was made in particular with regard to drawing attention to the existence of the Abú database by means of canvassing and electioneering literature".

It also said that the party restricts access to the data and does not track constituency matters.

"The authorised officers established that the Abú database is not used to keep a record of representations made by constituents or members of the public on political or personal matters and they were told that it is not a database of comments made or of actions to be done.

"Access to the database is strictly limited to trained users. Access is determined centrally by the database administrator. Access is controlled by geographical determinations and can be established on the basis of constituency through to townland [street] level on a granular basis."

What about opinion polling?

In June a number of articles were published about members of some political parties allegedly posing as market researchers in conducting political opinion polls. The DPC report was "concerned to establish the extent, if any, to which the personal data of members of the public was processed by any political parties". Seven political parties were found to have conducted market research or opinion polling through the deployment of their own members, supporters or activists.

The DPC said that it was "satisfied from the findings of the audits that no personal data was processed during those activities by the political parties concerned and, on that basis, no data-protection concerns arose for further consideration by the DPC".

However, the DPC did recommend that Áontu not require participants of online surveys to fill in personal data.

Were there other recommendations?

The report makes 80 recommendations for parties across the board.

The DPC found that Fianna Fáil; Fine Gael, the Green Party and, Sinn Féin, had used marked copies of the electoral register and made recommendations on the subject.

It said that Fianna Fáil should update its privacy policy if using marked registers and that Fine Gael’s privacy policy "should include information concerning the processing of personal data that it undertakes in relation to the information contained on the Register of Electors and on the Marked Electoral Register".

Is this the end of the matter?

The DPC has made recommendations with timelines attached, so it should largely be the end of the matter, but Fine Gael senator John Cummins has called for Sinn Féin to shutter the database.