In 2022 the European Parliament PEGA committee adopted a damning report on the use of spyware across the EU, following growing evidence of countries such as Spain, Poland, Greece and Hungary abusing spyware to spy on opposition politicians, the media, and civil society.
Ireland featured in that report, but only incidentally as the…
I’ve just finished writing a chapter on data retention law in Ireland for a forthcoming collection edited by Eleni Kosta and Irene Kamara. It examines how, from the judgment in Digital Rights Ireland onwards, the Irish state has fought a rearguard action against compliance with EU fundamental rights.Abstract:This chapter examines the development of data…
The EDPS has just published a comprehensive study by Prof. Gloria González Fuster on the essence of the fundamental rights to privacy and to protection of personal data, and marked the publication of the study with a one day seminar on the issue earlier this week. As the event wasn’t public I won’t summarise…
I have a piece in today’s Irish Times which identifies some serious concerns with the new Garda Powers Bill. Here’s an excerpt:The sensitivity of your phone means that this week’s proposal from the Department of Justice for a new Garda Síochána Powers Bill requires close scrutiny. That proposal would introduce a new power for gardaí,…
I have a piece in the Irish Times today discussing the kerfuffle about GAA clubs using WhatsApp to communicate with members. It may be the first time the phrase “dick pics” has appeared on the opinion pages of the paper of record. Here’s an excerpt:Facebook is not providing WhatsApp for philanthropic purposes, and information about…
I have an opinion piece in the Irish Independent on the new practice direction restricting social media posts from the courtroom. Here’s an excerpt:In 2011, the English courts introduced rules preventing anyone other than journalists or lawyers from posting to social media in the courtroom; the new Irish rules are largely identical, and…
I have a piece in today’s Irish Times on the approach of the Irish state to privacy. In short: there’s a lot of room for improvement. Text below with added links.Ireland must learn from UK data protection and ID disastersThe growth of the public services card as a de facto national ID card…
I have a piece in today’s Irish Times on the approach of the Irish state to privacy. In short: there’s a lot of room for improvement. Text below with added links.Ireland must learn from UK data protection and ID disastersThe growth of the public services card as a de facto national ID card…
I’m very grateful to my colleagues who have signed a letter expressing concern at the growing use of the (supposedly optional) public services card as a mandatory requirement for essentials as passports and social welfare, creating a de facto national ID card or Ireland without public debate.The full text of the letter and the…
Following allegations of abuse of phone tapping by Irish police, I have an opinion piece in today’s Irish Independent explaining why oversight mechanisms in this area are ineffective. Here’s a flavour:The reaction of the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána to the latest phone-tapping scandal has been a predictable circling of the wagons.…
