State failing to protect its citizens

FROM the failure to honour global warming commitments to its repressive approach to freedom of information (FoI), it’s no wonder the Government rates so poorly in international league tables.

Not surprisingly, we now learn that Ireland ranks among the worst EU countries when it comes to protecting private information collected by the State about its citizens.

In this respect, according to a damning report from a London based civil rights watchdog, the Republic is 18th in the EU league.

It is especially critical of this country’s data retention legislation which, under the terrorist offences section of the Criminal Justice Act 2005, allows telecom companies to hold phone records for three years.

The Coalition’s creeping Big Brother approach to governance makes a mockery of its pledge to wield power in a more transparent, fair and accountable manner.