Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes today called the theft of a laptop containing the personal details of 380,000 social welfare recipients a very serious incident and expressed concern at the potential implications for those affected.
His office is investigating the matter.
Mr Hawkes said he had spoken to the Comptroller and Auditor General, John Buckley and added that a series of meetings are to take place this week with the Office of Comptroller and Auditor General.
He said he expected all major holders of personal data in the public and private sector to "fully examine all their policies in relation to the collection and storage of data to ensure that incidents of this scale and nature can be avoided in future".
Labour party spokesperson on local government Ciaran Lynch said the theft of the laptop represented the "most significant loss of personal data in the history of the state".
He said there were a number of aspects about the case that caused particular concern.
“Why is it that we are now only learning about this theft, fifteen months after it occurred? Why is it that the Department of Social and Family Affairs were apparently not told of the loss for twelve months?”
He called for a move away from a situation where huge amounts of personal information can be carried around and lost at bus-stops or left on trains information.
“Computer devices of all types must be encrypted and protected with strong passwords system.Public bodies should move to a web-based system of information - such as that now available to TDs - which can be accessed from remote points, but which is not vulnerable to theft of devices,” he said.
Meanwhile, Age Action said it was concerned that unencrypted personal information of many old age pensioners was stored on the stolen laptop.
“The theft will inevitably cause stress and upset to many older people. This could have been avoided if the information had been properly encrypted or better still not been placed on a laptop in the first place,” it said.