The controversial new postcode system will not be introduced until "satisfactory solutions" are put in place to address "serious concerns", the Data Protection Commissioner has confirmed.

Postcode introduction

The State is facing the embarrassment of spending millions on a postcode system that is going nowhere, writes Joe Leogue

Mick Wallace’s silence as to what action he may take against former justice minister Alan Shatter regarding what he said about the Wexford TD on RTÉ’s Primetime programme "speaks volumes", a judge was told yesterday.

Former justice minister Alan Shatter has asked a judge to overturn a decision of the Data Protection Commissioner that he breached data protection laws when he said on RTÉs Prime Time that TD Mick Wallace had benefited from garda discretion with regard to penalty points.

Former Justice Minister Alan Shatter is claiming in court that the Data Protection Commissioner prejudged a complaint that he unlawfully divulged information about TD Mick Wallace on RTÉ’s Prime Time.

SuperValu has resumed its leisure breaks scheme with the company that lost the personal details of more than 60,000 of its customers.

Facebook’s plan to track every move you make on the internet in order to send you related advertisements has been lambasted by EU and US consumer bodies.

A privacy campaigner faces going bust over a landmark battle to find out what Facebook tells US spy chiefs unless he gets commitments on legal costs.

WHEN poor judgement meets rich hypocrisy you know you are in one of those strange political spats that seem uniquely Irish.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is to be asked to examine the law governing data protection following a student’s legal challenge over the rejection of his complaint about interference with personal privacy by the mass transfer of data by Facebook to the US intelligence services.

The Data Protection Commissioner is investigating Irish banks’ interpretation of data protection legislation that requires customers to give the bank photo identification

State bodies have been warned of a crackdown unless they overhaul the way they treat personal data.

The management, the protection or the sharing of information gathered by the State or private companies on individuals, and that person’s right to easily access that information, are hardly issues that have set current election campaigns alight.

The Data Protection Commissioner has warned state bodies they face a crackdown unless they overhaul the way they treat personal data, accusing them of eroding public trust.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter is not subject to any penalty after the Data Protection Commissioner said he breached the law by disclosing personal information about Independent TD Mick Wallace.

Alan Shatter’s use of Garda information to reveal that the Independent TD, Mick Wallace, had penalty points waived could have consequences, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has indicated.

The data protection commissioner was wrong to refuse to investigate a complaint that the Irish arm of Facebook could not permit the mass transfer of personal data to US intelligence services, it has been claimed.

The HSE has been accused of spying on its ambulance staff for at least five years after it emerged that internal phone calls between paramedics are recorded — with some files later used in disciplinary cases.

Digital rights campaigners have hailed the decision by the European Court of Justice to throw out the Data Retention Directive — opening the way for a new challenge to Irish laws on the retention of personal data records here.

The Justice Minister Alan Shatter could be fined over comments he made about another Dáil deputy on live television.

Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes has said the issues surrounding the Garda tapes “go way behind data protection” and relate to citizens receiving a fair trial.

The Data Protection Commissioner has said he believes gardaí were not aware their calls were being recorded.

From day one and with each twist that the controversy brings, the handling of the penalty points issue has always been about saving political neck.

Education Minister Ruairí Quinn has defied Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s plea to keep criticism of the Garda Commissioner within the confines of Cabinet.

The two garda whistle-blowers had “no basis” for continuing to trawl Garda computer data and disclosing it outside the force once they had reported their allegations of malpractice, the State’s data watchdog has said.

The Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes says he is "concerned" about a number of "disturbing" instances where Gardaí inappropriately accessed the Garda PULSE system.

Billy Hawkes, the Data Protection Commissioner, has criticised how many public service sectors handle personal data, particularly the Department of Social Protection.

Researched published this morning to mark Data Protection Day, shows that Irish people aren't as fussy about online privacy now, as we were six years ago.

A box of files alleging widespread abuse of the penalty points system will be used as evidence by the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee, which is due to question Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan next month.

The Garda whistleblower at the centre of the alleged widespread abuse of the penalty points system is so angry at the lack of progress that he had offered to appear before the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

A Garda whistleblower who provided a “box of evidence” allegedly containing information on widespread abuse of the penalty point system was advised by the Department of Justice he had a “duty” to bring any such information to the attention of the Oireachtas.

Members of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee are no shrinking violets when it comes to holding the powers that be answerable for their management of the State’s money.

The data protection commissioner believes the dispute between the Garda chief and the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee will be resolved without any need for the data commissioner to enforce the powers of his office.

A “box of evidence” from a Garda whistleblower alleging abuse of the penalty point system should be covered by parliamentary privilege, according to Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

The Data Commissioner has supported the Garda Commissioner's calls to have a box of files returned to Gardaí, after they were leaked by a whistleblower.

WHAT is Martin Callinan afraid of? The Garda Commissioner has written to the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee demanding back files that the committee’s chairman, John McGuinness, has taken possession of and wants examined in public.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan has demanded the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee hand over a “box of evidence” provided by a whistleblower alleging widespread abuse of the penalty points system.

Supervalu and Axa loyalty card holders have been advised that a security breach affecting their credit card details only happened a month ago.

Four separate investigations are under way after it emerged the number of customers whose personal and credit card details have been stolen from a web-based company has grown to almost 80,000, with thousands more potentially affected.

SUPERVALU is having a difficult week, with news that the data breach of customer information was worse than previously feared — affecting 62,500 customers. A further 8,000 customers at insurance company Axa may also have been affected.

The frailty of internet transactions has been exposed by the revelation that the credit card details of up to 500,000 people throughout Europe have been compromised by a data breach at Loyaltybuild, the US firm based in Ennis, Co Clare, that operates leisure break schemes for SuperValu and Axa.

The Data Protection Commissioner said the company at the centre of the Supervalu and Axa data breach should not have been holding on to credit card details.

The company at the heart of the data breach involving Supervalu and Axa Insurance customers says it has been the victim of a "sophisticated criminal attack".