While councils are told to do whatever it takes to collect the €100 household charge for college grant applications, Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes says they can’t go after people based on information gathered in relation to student grants, reports the Irish Examiner. Hawkes’ office said Clare County Council may gather information about payment to see whose applications were processed first, the report states. A spokesperson for the office said protocol does not allow “data gathered in this way to be used to pursue people who have not paid,” and it will provide “any necessary clarification to Clare County Council.”
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