The Sinn Féin TD, the IRA bomber’s brother and the breach of private data

It started with what looked like a routine query from a politician to a council office. In 2019, staff at Wexford County Council believed they were dealing with a standard request made by then councillor Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin on behalf of a constituent, and so they responded as normal. But alarm bells went off four years later when a woman contacted the council asking why her confidential records had been released without her knowledge or consent. The man who received the files is a Sinn Féin activist and the brother of a Provisional IRA bomber. After conducting an investigation, the council admitted there was a breach of personal data and formally apologised to the woman in question. Ó Súilleabháin, now a Sinn Féin TD, is now facing a legal battle following the data breach, with party leader Mary Lou McDonald appearing to stand by him. On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Katie Byrne is joined by Irish Independent Ireland Editor Fionnán Sheahan who details his exclusive investigation. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.