Justice department taking allegation over publication of asylum application 'very seriously'

A local election candidate of the far-right Irish Freedom Party posted a picture on social media platform X which appears to show the application form of a Palestinian asylum seeker. File Picture.

The Department of Justice says it is taking the potential publication of an international protection applicant's forms "seriously".

Patrice Johnson, a candidate of the far-right Irish Freedom Party for both the Drogheda Rural and Drogheda Urban wards in the upcoming local election, posted a picture on social media platform X which appears to show the application form of a Palestinian asylum seeker.

The International Protection Act 2015 says that the minister should take "all practicable steps" to protect the confidentiality of asylum applications.

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In a statement to the Irish Examiner, the Department of Justice said it was examining the content of Ms Johnson's tweet.

"The Department is examining the concerns raised, which it takes very seriously," it stated. "There are strong provisions in the International Protection and Data Protection Acts protecting the confidentiality of applicants."

In the Dáil on Tuesday, People Before Profit TD Mick Barry raised the issue with Taoiseach Simon Harris. 

The Cork North-Central TD said: "A far-right local election candidate is sharing copies on Twitter, or X, of what she claims are people's international protection applications. One is that of an alleged Palestinian applicant, and seems to have been taken down now, but at least another two are up.

"It is not the first time that alleged international protection applications have been shared on social media by the far right.

This is a serious matter. We are discussing vulnerable people. 

"Will the Taoiseach investigate, or see that an investigation be conducted into, whether this material is real? If it is real, what measures does he intend to take to stop this situation from ever happening again?"

In response, Mr Harris said that he would "look into" the matter.

"I am very concerned to hear that," he said. "I would be particularly concerned if it turned out to be real data. Data protection applies to everybody, so I will undertake to ask for that to be investigated. 

"I will be happy to come back to the Deputy and update him on it."