Ireland Finally Updates Data Protection Laws

Ireland has finally implemented the 1995 EU Directive on data protection, almost five years after the expiry of the EU's deadline. Ireland becomes the 14th of the 15 Member States to get its domestic privacy legislation in order. Luxembourg has still to comply.

The deadline for implementation of the Directive was October 1998. The UK implemented it just in time, with its Data Protection Act 1998 which completely replaced the earlier 1984 Act. Ireland's implementing law, the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003, amends rather than replaces the country's 1988 Act.

The Directive was designed to ensure that there are no barriers to the free flow of information between member states of the European Union while demanding a high standard of protection for personal data.

The bulk of the provisions in the Irish law will come into force on 1 July 2003. The remainder, including provisions relating to registration and enforced subject access, do not yet have a date set for commencement.

The 1988 Act and 2003 amendment are available as a 73-page PDF from:
www.dataprivacy.ie/images/compendium%20Act.pdf
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.