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Niamh Sweeney appointed as Data Protection Commissioner

The Government has announced the appointment of Niamh Sweeney as a third Data Protection Commissioner.

Electric Ireland said about 8,000 customer accounts may have been compromised

8,000 Electric Ireland customer accounts 'compromised'

Electric Ireland has said an employee of a company working on its behalf may have inappropriately accessed customer accounts leading to the potential misuse of personal and financial information.

Business • 08 Nov 23

Helen Dixon, Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner

'Significant' amount of money pending after Meta fines

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) yesterday fined Facebook and Instagram a total of €390m after the conclusion of two inquiries into the platforms' parent company Meta.

Business • 05 Jan 23

A total of 6,802 data breaches were reported to the Irish Data Protection Commission in the past 12 months

Ireland ranked second highest for GDPR fines - survey

Nearly €1.1 billion in fines have been imposed for a wide range of infringements of Europe's General Data Protection Regulation, a new survey shows today.

Business • 18 Jan 22

The fine was handed out by the DPC last month

WhatsApp challenges €225m fine by DPC

The European arm of WhatsApp has launched a High Court challenge aimed at setting aside the Data Protection Commission's decision to impose sanctions on it including a €225m fine.

Business • 16 Sep 21

Dossiers were built and maintained by the Department of Health without the knowledge or consent of parents

DPC probe over dept dossiers on children with autism

The Data Protection Commissioner has begun a statutory inquiry into the handling of sensitive personal information by the Department of Health.

Ireland • 30 Mar 21

Many countries have developed, or are developing, Covid-19 tracing apps - but their effectiveness is still in doubt

Privacy concerns, technical doubts dull Covid app hopes

A smartphone app that warns when a user has made contact with a Covid-19 sufferer was meant to help suppress the virus - but doubts have been cast doubt its effectiveness even before it has been launched, writes Adam Maguire.

Business • 02 Jun 20

A number of countries have already launched Covid-19 contact tracing apps, with many more developing their own

HSE's Covid-19 app to begin testing this week

The HSE will begin testing its Covid-19 contact tracing app in the coming week, however it will be some time more before it is available to the wider public.

Health • 30 May 20

Three Ireland had been co-operative and were able to explain how the system errors occurred

Three fined for sending unwanted marketing texts

Three Ireland and a pizza chain have pleaded guilty to unlawfully sending customers unwanted marketing text messages.

Business • 02 Mar 20

The Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon is to look at Google and Tinder's compliance with GDPR

Data commission launches probes into Google, Tinder

The Data Protection Commission has launched two separate statutory inquiries, into search firm Google and dating app Tinder.

Business • 04 Feb 20

The hearing opened before the High Court today

Man seeks damages after address given to investigator

A damages claim by a man whose address was given to a private detective hired by solicitors acting for AIB bank by an official at the Department of Social Protection has opened before the High Court.

Courts • 19 Nov 19

The Data Protection Commissioner, Helen Dixon, has ordered government departments to delete data from the Public Services Card on citizens which is not related to welfare services

Minister 'avoids scrutiny' over Public Services Card

The Minister for Finance has been criticised by Sinn Féin for his decision not to attend the Oireachtas Finance Committee next week to discuss his role in relation to the Public Services Card.

Business • 13 Sep 19

There are more than three million Public Services Card in service

Commissioner to take action over Public Services Card

The office of the Data Protection Commissioner has confirmed it will proceed with enforcement action against the State over its decision to defy a report that found the retention of information on 3.2m citizens who hold a Public Services Card was unlawful.

Politics • 05 Sep 19

With regards to the Public Services Card, the Government will continue acting on the basis of legislation passed in 2005

Govt prepared to legally challenge findings on PSC

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty has said her department is prepared to challenge in the courts the findings by the Data Protection Commissioner in relation to the Public Services Card.

Ireland • 04 Sep 19

The Data Protection Commissioner has recently made critical findings over the Public Services Card

'Inappropriate' to modify Public Services Card - Govt

The Government has said it would be "inappropriate and potentially unlawful" to withdraw or modify the Public Services Card, despite recent critical findings by the Data Protection Commissioner.

Politics • 04 Sep 19

Helen Dixon said her office has instructed the department to stop issuing cards for people to use in other bodies

Rollout of PSC lacked 'coherence' - commissioner

The Data Protection Commissioner has said there is no issue with the validity of Public Services Cards and they can still be used on a voluntary basis as photo ID but they cannot be demanded for services other than social welfare benefits.

Ireland • 16 Aug 19

Since her appointment in 2014, Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon has roughly quadrupled the staff and budget of the regulator

Helen Dixon gets second term as Data Protection chief

The Government has reappointed the head of its powerful Data Protection Commission, which regulates the European operations of global tech giants like Facebook and Google, for a second five-year term.

Business • 28 May 19

Helen Dixon said the largest number of complaints related to the right of access to personal data held by others

Surge in number of data breaches reported in 2018

The number of data breaches reported to the Data Protection Commission soared by 70% last year, as new data protection rules were introduced across Europe, new figures show.

Ireland • 28 Feb 19

Twitter notified the DPC of breaches under the new GDPR legislation

DPC launch statutory inquiry into Twitter GDPR breach

The Data Protection Commissioner has confirmed it has opened a statutory inquiry into Twitter.

Science and Technology • 25 Jan 19

Eir said that an unencrypted laptop was stolen on Sunday 12 August

37,000 Eir customers affected by data breach

Personal details of 37,000 Eir customers have been affected by a data breach, the telecommunications company has said.

Business • 22 Aug 18

The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement has alleged INM was run in an 'unlawful' manner

INM blames ODCE for share price fall

Independent News & Media has blamed the State's corporate watchdog for a fall in the company's share price since there has been an application to have inspectors appointed to investigate the newspaper publisher.

News • 30 Apr 18

Joel Kaplan said Facebook did not do enough to prevent its tools from being used for harm

Facebook executive apologises over recent data scandal

A senior Facebook executive has apologised at an Oireachtas Committee for the company's role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Ireland • 18 Apr 18

TDs and senators had hoped the commissioner would provide them with an early update on her probe

Commissioner unable to discuss INM investigation

The Data Protection Commissioner will not be able to answer questions about her probe into an alleged data breach at Independent News and Media when she appears before an Oireachtas Committee next Tuesday.

Politics • 13 Apr 18

The DPC are currently establishing the parameters of the investigation

Commissioner to investigate alleged INM data breach

The Data Protection Commissioner intends to investigate whether personal data was accessed in an alleged data breach at Independent News & Media.

Business • 03 Apr 18

Criticism over Tusla's processing of personal data

The Data Protection Commissioner has criticised Tusla's processing of personal data in an investigation initiated following the controversy about the agency's handling of an allegation made against garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe.

Ireland • 27 Feb 18