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Gardaí took six years to fully act on children’s data

A review carried out by the Garda Síochána Inspectorate has found that a 2014 recommendation on the recording of children’s details was implemented fully only in 2020.

After a 2014 inspection, the body had called for “an urgent review” of the issue, after concerns that thousands of children under 12 had identification numbers (ID) and associated intelligence records on the garda PULSE system.

A person is usually assigned a unique PULSE ID after a first formal interaction with the gardaí. This does not necessarily infer criminality, and a person may have a PULSE ID because they were a victim of crime or they were involved in a road-traffic collision.

The inspectorate said, however, that it would be unusual for a police service to create intelligence records for children under the age of criminal responsibility.

Non-compliant

The inspectorate had found that, from the inception of PULSE in 1999 until March 2015, a total of 7,356 intelligence records were created for children under 12.

Of these, 3,668 intelligence records were non-compliant with data-protection legislation in place at that time and were removed.

Separately, 645 PULSE IDs were also removed.

“While An Garda Síochána took immediate action to address this recommendation – including issuing instructions on creating intelligence records for children under 12 – it was not until changes were made to the PULSE system in October 2020 that it could be considered fully implemented,” said Chief Inspector Mark Toland.

Audit

He added that, while the body now considered the 2014 recommendation fully implemented, further action was still needed.

The inspectorate’s recommendations for the force are:

• Conduct an audit of intelligence records for children under 12 and remove any intelligence records and PULSE IDs that do not comply with garda instructions and guidance,
• Develop a technical solution for the PULSE system to address system and data errors, and
• At both national and local levels, ensure strong oversight of the creation of PULSE IDs and intelligence records for children under 12.