Government urges Treasury to cover costs of police data breach.

Stormont's devolved government has presented a strong case to the Treasury to address the fallout from a significant police data breach, according to the first minister.

The breach occurred two years ago, leading to the accidental online publication of personal information belonging to approximately 9,500 Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) employees.

Many of those affected are now pursuing compensation, but the PSNI informed the High Court on Wednesday that it lacks the necessary funds to settle these claims.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill confirmed discussions with the PSNI Chief Constable and the finance minister, emphasizing her awareness of the issue.

An earlier estimate by the PSNI projected the total cost to exceed £100 million.

O'Neill stated, "We are still in the process of finalizing those discussions, but it is evident that this financial burden is one of the significant challenges we are facing."

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly expressed frustration over the situation, asserting that those impacted by the breach deserve acknowledgment.

She acknowledged the financial strain on the PSNI budget and the broader Northern Ireland Executive, highlighting the potential difficulty in securing the necessary funds.

The breach involved the inadvertent online disclosure of personal information for all PSNI officers and civilian staff, prompted by a Freedom of Information request in August 2023.

The exposed data included employees' surnames, initials, ranks, locations, and units of assignment.

Although the information was swiftly removed from the website upon discovery of the breach, the financial implications for compensating affected individuals remain a pressing concern.