More than half of European fines for data breaches came from Ireland

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission was responsible for more than half of the €1.2bn levied by European states for data protection breaches in 2024.

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission was responsible for more than half of the €1.2bn levied by European states for data protection breaches in 2024.

The Irish regulator, which until recently was frequently the target of ire in some European locations for its perceived lack of action against big tech companies, has in recent years begun routinely handing out eye-watering fines to those adjudged to have breached data protection law as a result of multi-year investigations finally coming to a close.