THE DATA PROTECTION Commissioner has identified the service provider for the number which has been used to make automated calls to Irish households about the country’s laws on abortion in the past 48 hours.
A spokesperson for his office told TheJournal.ie that they know where the call originated from and that the number was shut down this afternoon.
The office has received more than 30 complaints about the calls. Made from a Dublin number, the pre-recorded message claimed to quote Eamon O’Dwyer, professor emeritus of obstetrics and gynaecology at NUI Galway. The caller says that Irish doctors do not put mothers’ lives at risk and are always obliged to intervene to save the woman’s life even if that results in the unfortunate death of an unborn child.
It is not known who is behind the message and calls, or how many people have received them.
If the person or organisation is found to be in breach of an EU directive on communications by the Data Protection Commissioner, fines of up to €5,000 per call could be imposed. However, the spokesperson for the watchdog said its investigation was still not complete.
ComReg has also opened its own probe into the so-called robo-calls.
It is an offence to direct a marketing campaign to people who have not consented to receive calls.
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