Results 1-20 of 25 for data protection speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Sep 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: ...on windfall profits. This Government has continually resisted calls from Sinn Féin and others in the Opposition to introduce extensive measures. It only moved because the EU did so a whole. In reality, it has always been determined to protect the profits of powerful energy companies, prioritising them over the needs of ordinary workers and families. Despite the fact there have...

Progress on the National Parks and Wildlife Service: Statements (6 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: ...Fine Gael-led Governments failed to take these issues seriously. Decades of their paralysis have landed us in the situation we are now in, which is way behind where we once had the potential to be. Data from the NPWS note that Ireland is suffering widespread habitat destruction and nature loss. The situation is extremely worrying. Species are becoming extinct. This includes fish,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (31 May 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: ...Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress to date on the Government commitment to expand the role of the NWCPO to become a market collection oversight body to include data analysis on the operation of the market, oversight of charging structures and penalties, oversight of service provision, management of consumer rights and a complaint escalation mechanism...

Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Bill 2022: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...took office in 2020. These were all flashing red lights that went unheeded. All the while, it was full steam ahead for the rampant increase on the demand side and especially in the expansion of data centres. The policy was to make Ireland the data centre capital of the world. We all recognise the role data centres play in a digitised society but it was reckless in the extreme to...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...Orwellian about the term "savings" here. They are missed targets in the national broadband plan and retrofitting. We were told that carbon taxes would be ring-fenced to retrofit homes and protect people from fuel poverty. That carbon tax is being siphoned off to pay for backup electricity generated by fossil fuel. That demand is induced by data centres and Government policy....

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (22 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister might give us an update on the engagement in this regard. I presume everything that is being proposed here has been run by the Data Protection Commissioner or the Attorney General for compliance with GDPR. There is always a concern in regard to data gathering. The Minister might give us a sense of how we have come to this position and if he is satisfied this legislation will...

Energy Security: Motion [Private Members] (15 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...countermotion either because there is absolutely zero acknowledgement in it of the Government's role in sleepwalking the State into this energy security and energy cost crisis. There is no mention of data centre policy. As recently as yesterday, we had reports that the energy generation being procured by the State to prevent power outages in winter 2023 will cover only about 60% of the...

Just Transition: Statements (18 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...of formal legislation at the end of the year, based on social dialogue and comprised of representatives of the Government, trade unions, employers, affected communities and civil society. The commission would focus on job retention; the protection of living standards; skills development; the creation of decent work in respect of new employment opportunities; the prioritisation of the most...

Carbon Budget: Motion (6 Apr 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...public transport route, the 136, used by elderly people to get to and from the shops once a week is being pulled. That is public transport in Ireland in 2022. At the same time, the red carpet was rolled out for energy-hungry data centres with no regard for our electricity generation capacity or the impact the policy would have on our national emissions. Similarly, successive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Implementation of the New National Retrofit Plan: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (5 Apr 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Dr. Byrne referred to matching the data of the Department of Social Protection with BER data. Would that capture someone on a low income who is in work but living in a colder home? That is another area, I suppose.

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (30 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...to use CCTV and drones in a proportional manner to combat illegal dumping. It is an absolute scourge. I want to raise some questions on the Minister of State's engagement with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. I expect we will have an opportunity to tease out those details on Committee Stage. There is a fine line here and it is important to get the balance right with...

Citizens' Assemblies: Motion (22 Feb 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: .... The State's record is not good. For example, almost half of Irish rivers have unsatisfactory water quality levels. We will plan for development in our oceans without identifying marine protected areas. Derrybrien wind farm was built in breach of environmental regulations and is now in legal limbo having been refused retrospective planning consent. It has already cost the State...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ..., if leaks from parliamentary party meetings in morning news reports are anything to go by. The Tánaiste acknowledged as much on Leaders' Questions earlier. Budget 2022 did not go far enough to protect people. The Government says it is making plans to do something about it. There has been talk from the Government to the effect of "If we knew then what we know now", but the truth...

Air Accident Investigation Unit Final Report into R116 air accident: Statements (17 Nov 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ...key responsibility more explicit? Regarding the maps, charts and imagery available to the crew on the night, the report found that Black Rock was not in the enhanced ground proximity warning system, EGPWS, databases; the 1:250,000 aeronautical chart, Euronav, imagery did not extend as far as Black Rock; and the 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey of Ireland, OSI, imagery available on the Toughbook...

Energy Prices: Motion [Private Members] (6 Oct 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ..., such as Spain, France and Italy, are already acting unilaterally and with appropriate urgency. In Ireland, the Government sits on its hands. It is essential emergency action is taken here to protect households from crippling energy price hikes. Whether it is through the consumer Acts or another mechanism, Ministers cannot sit on their hands as people go cold, hungry or potentially die...

Planning and Development (Climate Emergency Measures) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Deputy Bríd Smith for bringing forward this Bill. It gives us an opportunity to debate two really important issues. In terms of data centres, this week we heard from experts at the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action about the impact they are having, we have the EirGrid All-Island Generation Capacity Statement 2019-2028 and we heard the Government outline its...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (28 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Chairman and the witnesses. I will pick up on some of the queries that have been raised with us, particularly in the area of data protection, monitoring and enforcement. I appreciate that there are many questions still to be answered on this matter. Is it the case that there is a question over the concept of data minimisation and how that will be ensured, and enforced? Is it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (28 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Ms McCabe. I note the correspondence we received from the Data Protection Commissioner in relation to the current stage of progress and on the greater detail that needs to become available before it would be in a position to offer a firm opinion.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Telecommunications Services (7 Jul 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ..., which have become widespread in the past few weeks, as he will no doubt be aware. Fraudsters who claim to be from State agencies, for example, An Garda Síochána and the Department of Social Protection, are pestering people with calls that seek personal and sensitive details, such as personal public service numbers, PPSNs, and bank details. While most people identify these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2019: Minister for Transport (30 Jun 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister for his opening statement and the notes he provided. I have a question on the master licence record and the motor third-party liability database. The committee sought advice from the Data Protection Commission, DPC, in this regard. I do not know whether the Minister has had sight of it. The advice outlined a number of observations and comments that are important and...