Data Protection Commissioner to step down in February

Helen Dixon said it had been a 'privilege and an honour' to have served in the position since September 2014

Ms Dixon was appointed to the role in September 2014. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Ireland’s top data protection watchdog Helen Dixon has announced she will be stepping down from her role in February next year after more than nine years in the position.

The Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) is the lead supervisory authority for numerous multinational tech giants located here and oversees their operations across Europe. This makes the DPC one of the central data protection authorities across Europe.

In a statement posted on her LinkedIn profile, Ms Dixon, who was in her final term as DPC, said her final day in the role will be February 19 next year.

Ms Dixon said it had been a “privilege and an honour” to have served in the position since September 2014.

“I look back with great satisfaction at what the Data Protection Commission has achieved over the last nine and a half years.

“I have had the opportunity to transform the DPC from a small regionally-based office of 27 staff into an independent regulatory body today with over 215 committed experts, headquartered in Dublin, and internationally recognised for the quality of its staff and work,” she said.

She added that during her tenure, there had been numerous changes to EU law surrounding data protection, including GDPR legislation, as well as the recently enacted Digital Services Act.

“The DPC played a pivotal role in ensuring organisations in Ireland and beyond were aware and prepared in terms of meeting their new obligations and that the public had a renewed understanding of risks and rights relating to processing of their personal data,” she said.

“I believe Ireland has much to be proud of in terms of its data protection regime including the consistent support by Government since my appointment in 2014, with budgetary increases to facilitate necessary capacity and capability improvements at the DPC.”

Ms Dixon ended her post saying she was grateful to the people who “entrusted” their complaints to her and the DPC over the years.

“Whatever the outcome, I have always given my best efforts. Equally, I am grateful to the many stakeholders who have engaged so constructively with me and my team over the last number of years.”