O’Dowd bids to get Treasury decision over PSNI data breach compensation reversed

Stormont’s Finance Minister has said he is working to get a Treasury decision not to help with the cost of paying compensation to PSNI officers affected by a major data breach in 2023 overturned.

John O’Dowd called for the Assembly to send out a united message on the issue after SDLP Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole said it was another Executive “shambles”.

The PSNI breach occurred in August 2023, when a spreadsheet released as part of a freedom of information request held hidden data with the initials, surname, rank and role of close to PSNI officers and staff.

Police later said the information had got into the hands of dissident republicans.

In the aftermath of the leak, some officers chose to relocate their homes and change daily routines.

The PSNI accepted liability for the data breach and negotiations over settlements to those affected continues.

The Stormont Executive had made a reserve claim to the Treasury to cover unforeseen, unavoidable and unaffordable spending pressures.

After it emerged earlier this week that the Treasury had rejected the call, Mr O’Toole asked Mr O’Dowd how compensation claims, which it is estimated could run to £120 million, would be paid.

The Finance Minister told MLAs: “It is regrettable that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has declined the Executive’s request for access to the reserve costs associated with the PSNI data breach.

“It remains my view that the exceptional, unavoidable nature of these costs meets the conditions of our reserve claim.

“There are people and families impacted by this data breach and we all need to be mindful of the effect this has had on them.”

The minister said significant information had been supplied to the Treasury supporting the case for access to the reserve, including outlining the “challenging budgetary position” of the Executive.

He added: “I will continue to press the Treasury to reconsider this decision.”

Mr O’Dowd told MLAs that the final compensation costs were not yet known.

He added: “Once these are concluded I will be able to consider the budgetary implications.”

Mr O’Toole pointed out that the Treasury had already rejected a previous request to assist with the funding last year and asked what the minister had been doing since.

He added: “This is another shambles.

“We only found out about this because a letter was leaked to the media, but presumably your department has known about this for weeks.

“Can I ask you, is this another example on your watch, like the A5, of basic work simply not being done?”

Mr O’Dowd said the Assembly should send a clear message to the Treasury that it should be given access to the reserve funding.

He said he had informed his Executive colleagues of the situation on the same day he was informed of the Treasury decision.

The minister added: “I have been working since then to try and get this decision overturned.”