Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to make it clear that the issue which I am addressing is what is before me, which is the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, ODCE, investigation into a potential data breach within the company. I take it the company is Independent News and Media, INM. I have already stated that these are issues that are under investigation from a number of sources, in particular the Data Protection Commissioner. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I respect the independence of the Data Protection Commissioner. I assure the House that the Government of which I am a member has steadily increased the resources allocated to the Data Protection Commissioner. Funding has increased to approximately €11.7 million for this year, up from less than €2 million in 2014. This additional funding has facilitated the recruitment of additional staff, both legal and technical, and experts of an investigative nature. Staff resources have tripled from 30 in 2013 to almost 100 in 2014.

Ireland became the first member state of the European Union to appoint a Minister with special responsibility for data protection. This portfolio is held by the Minister of State, Deputy Breen. Further, an interdepartmental committee on data issues was set up two years ago to provide a platform for Departments to discuss issues of a legislative nature and implementation challenges arising from European legal advances in this area. Meetings are held regularly in the Department of the Taoiseach, and that committee's work is ongoing. It is important to understand that proposals for legislation respond to evolving jurisprudence in this country and across the European Union. I wish again to respect the independence of the offices that are undertaking investigations and it would be entirely imprudent, as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle would be the first to inform me, if I were to depart from that very important legal directive.

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