The Data Protection Commissioner is planning an investigation into an alleged data breach at Independent News and Media.

The Commissioner's office has confirmed that it was notified about the alleged breach last week.

It is suspected the emails of a number of staff including journalists were hacked.

This evening, Graham Doyle head of communications at the Data Protection Commissioner's Office said the investigation would focus on whether any personal data was accessed.

He said the investigation would then attempt to establish whether “that was processed lawfully and fairly in accordance with data protection legislation.”

“Currently we are scoping the parameters of how that investigation may look including seeking additional information from INM themselves,” he said.

The names of a number of those believed to have been affected were published in the Irish Independent today.