Department of Justice continues tradition of secrecy on data retention
You might have noticed Karlin Lillington’s story in the Irish Times today about the Department of Justice’s new proposals on data retention. To make a long story short, it turns out that the Attorney General was not impressed with its remarkable plans to change the …
European Court upholds data retention… for the time being
The European Court of Justice has given its decision today in the Irish Government challenge to the Data Retention Directive – Ireland v. Parliament and Council (Press Release | Judgment). Unsurprisingly (in light of the Advocate General’s Opinion) it has held that the directive was …
Three unproven accusations and you’re out – why the Eircom / IRMA deal is bad for internet users
The internet is abuzz (Irish Times | EFF | ars technica | Boing Boing) with the news that Eircom and the record labels have reached an out of court settlement in which Eircom has agreed to implement a “three strikes” regime for disconnecting people accused …
Tell your MEP to say no to copyright extension
The European Parliament is currently considering proposals that would dramatically increase – close to doubling – the length of copyright in music recordings. We’d like you to tell your MEP to vote no. Why are these proposals being pushed? Because copyright in many classic recordings …
Keeping an eye on UK developments
Karlin Lillington has an interesting story in today’s Irish Times on recent UK developments in surveillance and what they might mean for Ireland. Here’s an excerpt: NET RESULTS: When it comes to abuse of privacy, where Britain goes, Ireland tends to follow. That’s why we …
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 …
Oireachtas Committee rejects passenger records proposals
The Irish Times is reporting that the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny (a cross party committee which examines proposed EU legislation) has published a report which is highly critical of European proposals on passenger records. The draft Framework Decision on the Use of Passenger Name …
English DPP warns against “relentless pressure of a security State”
The outgoing head of the Crown Prosecution Service and DPP for England and Wales, Sir Ken MacDonald QC, has used his retirement speech to warn against UK government proposals to expand data retention: As I near my conclusion, let me, in my final public speech …
Data Retention – Advocate General recommends Irish Government challenge should be rejected
The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice has just given his Opinion (summary, PDF) on the Irish Government’s challenge and has recommended to the Court that the challenge should be rejected, holding that the Data Retention Directive was correctly dealt with as an …
Data Retention – Advocate General will give opinion on Irish Challenge in two weeks
The agenda of the European Court of Justice has just listed Tuesday, October 14 for the Advocate General’s opinion on the State’s challenge to the Data Retention Directive. This won’t be a final decision – the Advocate General gives an opinion which is merely advisory …
Mixed messages on data loss
There’s some good news and some not-so-good news in the Irish Times today on how the government is responding to its ongoing problems with losing personal data. First, the not-so-good news. In response to a parliamentary question from Labour leader Ruairí Quinn, it emerged that …
Statewatch report – “The Shape of Things to Come”
European civil rights group Statewatch today launched a fascinating and worrying report – The Shape of Things to Come by Tony Bunyan – giving an overview of EU policy and the implications for civil liberties. Here’s what they had to say about it: The EU …
