ALWAYS considered the backbone of community banking and there to lend a hand for the little things, the Irish League of Credit Unions is facing a tough time as a result of some of the actions of those steering the ship through the murky waters of the financial world.
Ordinary members were shocked to learn of the breaches of data protection in recent weeks and the use of private investigators to elicit information on behalf of the institution that they would have always considered a friend.
But in any friendship, there are tough times and the credit unions alleged to have been involved in the data fiasco will have to work hard to restore their positive reputation.
The chances are that the bond will survive. The credit unions will thrive once again and customers will put this behind them. However, they may be a little more savvy in future.
But it not just the credit unions that are in the firing line and the slipshod approach of the government departments and agencies charged with keeping our data safe is also open to criticism.
The State, with its myriad of agencies, committees and departments, is charged with the governance of our personal information and the manner in which it was so easily extracted from what is supposed to be a secure data base has caused great alarm.
Yes, the credit unions are involved, albeit at arm’s length. They sought information they weren’t entitled to and in a manner that should have raised some questions. By common consent, they are guilty of betraying public trust but is their failure any worse than that of the State agencies?
Should the buck not stop with the gate-keepers?
Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes, has now entered the fray on behalf of ordinary citizens. He is on the record as expressing serious concerns about how public services handle data that should not be in the public domain.
He must now ensure that those concerns are addressed and that our private information is protected – even from those we would like to consider our friends.
