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Data blunder: Prison service personal details leaked to contractor

The Information Commissioner's Office has been informed that the names and birth dates of hundreds of prison officers and civilian staff was emailed to a third party 
The Information Commissioner's Office has been informed that the names and birth dates of hundreds of prison officers and civilian staff was emailed to a third party  The Information Commissioner's Office has been informed that the names and birth dates of hundreds of prison officers and civilian staff was emailed to a third party 

AN investigation is under way after the personal details of hundreds of Northern Ireland Prison service employees was leaked to a third party.

The Information Commissioner's Office has also been informed that a spreadsheet with the names and birth dates of prison officers and civilian staff was emailed to a third party by accident.

The error only came to light when the security-vetted outside contractor, employed by a company that carries out work for the prison service, alerted authorities to the security breach.

The information was then deleted.

In response to the blunder the Department of Justice said it took its obligations under Data Protection legislation "very seriously".

"We can confirm that an incident did occur and that we are content that it was contained," it added.

"A full investigation is under way and the incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office."

It is understood the leak is not being treated as a major security breach.

But despite assurances from the authorities, prison officers, who remain under severe threat from dissident republicans, are said to be concerned about the data breach and any threat to their personal safety.

In March, prisoner officer Adrian Ismay (52) from east Belfast died from injuries he sustained in a dissident republican bomb attack on his van.

In November 2012, prison officer David Black (52) was shot dead by the New IRA when he was ambushed as he drove along the M1 motorway near Portadown, Co Armagh, on his way work at Maghaberry.