Health (Provision of Information) Act, 1997

Requests for and provision of information.

1.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Data Protection Act, 1988

(a) the National Cancer Registry Board (established under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961 ), for the purposes of any of its functions, or

(b) the Minister for Health or a health board, hospital or other body or agency participating in any cancer screening (including any breast or cervical cancer screening) programme authorised by the Minister for Health, for the purposes of compiling and maintaining a record of the names, addresses and dates of birth of persons who, for public health reasons, may be invited to participate in that programme,

may request from any person (including any data controller or data processor as defined in section 1 (1) of the Data Protection Act, 1988 ) information held by or in the possession of that person, and the person may provide that information as requested.

(2) Nothing in the Data Protection Act, 1988 , shall prevent the Minister for Health or a health board, hospital or other body or agency referred to in subsection (1) (b) from providing—

(a) to the Minister for Health, or to any other such health board, hospital or other body or agency, for the purposes of that programme, or

(b) for the purposes of inviting persons to participate in that programme,

any information provided under subsection (1).