Time to take a close look at surveillance
Last week the Cabinet approved the heads of a Surveillance Bill which, if enacted, will allow Gardaí to break into private property to place covert video cameras and audio bugs, and to use evidence gathered in that way in criminal prosecutions. The Bill – which …
Laptop loss – where’s the accountability?
From the Irish Independent: STAFF at the State spending watchdog who failed to inform authorities that laptops stolen from them contained sensitive information about up to 400,000 people are to escape disciplinary action. The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (OCAG) last night confirmed …
“Do you know where you this time last week? You may not, but the State certainly does.”
Fergal Crehan wrote a short and very clear piece for the Irish Daily Mail last month on data retention. It’s not available online, so here’s the full text: Do you know where you this time last week? You may not, but the State certainly does. …
Irish Times opinion piece on data retention
The Irish Times published an opinion piece today from us on data retention. A subscription is required to read it at that link, so here’s the full text: Violations only made worse by new plans for data retention The Government is planning an alarming expansion …
Irish Privacy Expert – “Big Brother philosophy threatens public’s privacy”
Professor Robert Clark is a leading Irish expert on privacy and the law. Here’s what he had to say in the Independent about the Government’s handling of personal privacy: Big Brother Philosophy Threatens Public’s Privacy Do the Irish Government and state agencies — health, prison, …
Even more social welfare leaks
Today’s Irish Independent has details of yet another case of a civil servant in the Department of Social and Family Affairs selling personal information to the media. As before, there is no evidence of any official inclination to take these cases seriously – the offender …
Yet more social welfare leaks
Today’s Irish Independent reveals still more leaks from the Department of Family and Social Affairs, along with information that the leaks were used by criminals to target their victims. As we’ve said before, there is a systematic problem of staff in public bodies abusing sensitive …
Safeguards needed for CCTV systems
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan today announced more funding for community CCTV schemes. Unfortunately these schemes still fail to comply with basic safeguards recommended by the Law Reform Commission nearly ten years in its 1998 Report on Privacy. Experience in other jurisdictions have shown that …
Welfare Records Leaked to Insurers
Yesterday’s Sunday Times has details of an investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner into leaking of social welfare details to the insurance industry. The text isn’t available online but an excerpt follows: Welfare Records Leaked to Insurers Colin Coyle Civil servants in the Department of …
TD requests phone tap investigation
RTÉ News reports that Dr. Jerry Cowley, Independent TD for Mayo, is to ask the complaints referee to investigate apparent official tapping of his telephone: The independent Mayo TD Jerry Cowley has called for an investigation to establish if his phone is being tapped by …
Fine Gael Concerns about Phone Tapping
The Irish Independent reports that Fine Gael share our concern about accountability in the phone tapping system: JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday refused to reveal the number of phones taps he has authorised during his time in office. Although bugged phone conversations cannot be used …
Labour Party Concerns About Data Retention
It’s been some time coming, but we’re glad to see the Labour Party shares our concern about data retention: The Labour Party Spokesperson on Justice, Deputy Brendan Howlin TD, has called for a review of the operation of powers given to the Gardai under the …