Results 1-20 of 267 for data protection speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...made by other member state competent authorities in respect of similar or comparable investigations. It is important to acknowledge and learn as we move forward. I was very active when our data protection legislation was brought forward in 2018. A significant responsibility was placed on Ireland because we were, in effect, the main point of implementation in respect of the data...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...to seize the nettle but, unfortunately, we did not do so. An ICCL analysis found that 75% of the decisions of the DPC in a five-year period ended up being overruled in some way by the European Data Protection Board. The Minister of State referred to different legal contexts but they are not different legal contexts. Ultimately, they are different legal contexts but it is the same law....

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...and correctly predict that she was pregnant and target information and products at her in that way. That is the somewhat dystopian aspect of this context. This example did not involve targeting based on a protected characteristic, but it is a cautionary example. It is very welcome in particular, for example, to see targeting by sexual orientation is no longer going to be permitted. As...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...clarity on which amendments are being taken together so I can cover them all. Amendments Nos. 11, 16 and 29 attempt to delete references which the Minister inserted on Committee Stage to “other data-gathering devices”. We made very clear arguments against the inclusion of this wording on Committee Stage. The wording is far too open-ended and essentially permits the use of...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I acknowledge and welcome the Minister's acceptance of the point we made about the need for a guarantee of regulation, rather than just a possibility of regulation, of data protection in the application of these factors. In that sense, I support and welcome amendments Nos. 30 and 37. Amendment No. 37 is almost an identical version of our amendment, amendment No. 38, but with the placings...

Seanad: EU Regulations: Motion (26 Apr 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...of measures. Perhaps this is an opportunity where we might be able to get reassurances about the impact of this combined set of new API rules, for example, on those people seeking international protection. I have already noticed some contradictions. The Department has said that API data can be consulted for immigration purposes in accordance with existing API rules and used to identify...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...three-year limit on the retention of such record, that they would be destroyed when employments ceases, whichever occurs earlier. As such records are likely to contain sensitive information, it is important from a data protection viewpoint that the sensitive information of former employees is not retained for any period beyond its intended purpose. Can I check if it is grouped?

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...where records of flexible working arrangements are kept as well that the three-year arrangement for the retention of such records that they may be destroyed when employment ceases. It is the same data protection but I have slightly different feelings about amendment No. 49 in that the pattern or outcome of arrangements is something a company may wish to have a record of but other sections...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ..., drivers to leave toll roads and take more dangerous back roads. I am signalling that as an opportunity. It is an issue I might return to on Report Stage. Amendment No. 12 is creating a new database. I appreciate the Minister mentioning that he has had engagement with the Data Protection Commission but I would like to see the outputs of that engagement in terms of protections. The...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I might come back on the hauliers issue at a different point. On data protection, specifying what the information is one part of it but specifying who is accessing the information and for what purposes is the other part. The GDPR is not simply about being clear what the information is but being clear what purposes it is used for and who is accessing it. We might have the same information...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This is the wrong direction of travel. It is literally saying any tool can be used for any kind of data. It does not clarify. The definition for cameras has been extended to include "other data-gathering devices" The definition of "data-gathering device" proposed by amendment No. 36 is extraordinarily vague, wide and dangerous: "‘data-gathering device’ means any device,...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Data Protection Act.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ..., the investigation and prosecution of particular offences under the Road Traffic Act. That does not tie it to the device but ties it very narrowly to the purpose in terms of what are relevant data-gathering devices for this Bill to be legislating about. Frankly, the idea everything is unregulated if it is not in the Road Traffic Act does not really stand up. We have a Data Protection...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. I will continue to pursue the issue because it is significant. I am glad we are getting more data. That is progress. I am aware that our transfer system does redistributive work regarding our extraordinary high levels of income inequality. In this regard, there is a discussion to be had on the Social Welfare Bill, which is touched upon. I would be...

Seanad: Comhshuí de Dháil Éireann agus de Sheanad Éireann - Joint Sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas - Address by H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission (1 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...for the raising of social standards and promotion of fundamental rights, is one which still resonates deeply with citizens in many countries, including Ireland. The introduction of the general data protection regulation was also another positive moment in that regard. Unfortunately, there was a period during austerity when the momentum to which I refer and any long-term, sustainable and...

Seanad: Poverty and Social Exclusion: Motion (19 Oct 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...children. We have highlighted particular areas in our report, including the poverty experienced by Travellers and by those with a disability, which cuts across more than the Department of Social Protection and represents a systemic failure to provide supports. That work is crucial. In the time remaining in this Oireachtas and in Deputy O'Brien's time as Minister of State, I urge him not...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 77: In page 47, after line 41, to insert the following: “(7) Prior to a disclosure of personal data being made under this section, a designated higher education institution must carry out a data protection impact assessment.”.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These amendments relate to good practice in data protection. In her engagement on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, accepted amendments in respect of this matter and recognised the importance of ensuring appropriate data protection impact assessments at different points. It is good...

Seanad: Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (14 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...on the environment, the applicant is a body or organisation (other than a State authority, a public authority or governmental body or agency) the aims or objectives of which relate to the promotion of environmental protection". There are certain areas where permissions may be allowed in the context of the goal of environmental protection and it is appropriate that a different standard...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...the time period but also of proportionality. Proportionality means being proportional in respect of a purpose. The regulations may provide for the retention of a large category of the Schedule 2 data by a certain kind of service provider because there is a relevant purpose but I am concerned about a blanket provision regarding retention. I am specifically concerned about when we move...