We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE STORM THAT hit the country on Wednesday seemed pretty terrible — but how bad was it really?
Well, pretty bad. Amongst the five worst storms we’ve seen since Met Éireann started keeping records, forecaster Evelyn Cusack told reporters the following day (the weather service is still crunching the numbers on where exactly it sits in that chart).
In terms of good news — there were no lives lost. According to the official update from the chairman of the Emergency Coordination Committee on Thursday afternoon, there were “a number of minor injuries” reported, but nothing too serious.
So from that welcome ‘zero’ to a quarter-of-a-million-plus, here’s the 12 February storm (or ‘Darwin‘ to its friends) in numbers:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Alan Kelly will be giving a news conference tomorrow excitedly telling us all 240 million customers of Irish water have signed up .
Meanwhile the giant corporation Twitter thinks it ok to butt in on Irish affairs of the child. When corporates want a society to become something inline with their thinking, you better start worrying.
What do you mean you lost all the user’s passwords!?
This is a disaster just waiting to happen, there is no Data Protection in this country (and what little there is can seemingly be changed on a whim by the gangsters we have parading as government). If I was FB, I would be looking to a country with actual Data Protection laws, not the joke shop that passes for that department here in Ireland.
*Twitter, not Facebook :D
Yep, with the state of regulation is this country (job for the inept boys) this sure is a ‘disaster just waiting to happen’…. and the taxpayer will probably end up footing some bill.
On the contrary, data mining networks are based in Dublin precisely because our Data Protection / Data Privacy laws / regulations and enforcement are underdeveloped. We are not unique in this though. It gives Ireland a fresh opportunity to shape data protection and privacy for decades to come throughout the EU.
If we can apply the same energy as countries like Austria have in creating robust banking secrecy acts to protect some EU citizens, we can surely do the the same in data privacy for all EU citizens as the internet of things and cloud computing becomes the new normal.
Oh god no, please don’t say scary things such as “giving Ireland a fresh opportunity to shape data protection”. The Irish governments idea of data protection is that it’s grand up to a certain point, but if they make decisions that are wildly unpopular with the public and related to taxes, they will just tweak the relevant sections of the Data Protection act to get their way. Data Protection legislation should be completely robust and completely untouchable without referendum. That unfortunately is not the Irish way.
Munster2014, data protection in Ireland is not the responsibility of a Govt Dept. It is the responsibility of the Data Protection Commissioner. That office was established pursuant to an EU Directive. The purpose of data protection is not to stop data sharing but to ensure that the sharing of personal data is safe and proportionate. If you stop Govt sharing data then you can not have effective public services. The problem in Ireland is not too much data sharing in Govt. it is too little data sharing. We should share data but lawfully and safely and for the benefit of joined up services than benefit citizens. If you think we share too much data in Ireland then travel around Europe. Virtually every civil law country routinely shares more data than Ireland. And most have national identity cards as well. Strangely enough their public devices work more smoothly!
@Munster2014 I understand your ennui with Governments in Ireland to get things done. However, Governments come and go; don’t underestimate the quality and calibre of some our civil servants who are the permanent Government.
Dedicated people across many offices and departments which relate to data have the energy to shape and positively change our approach to data generally; because if we don’t help them shape policy, we will be left working with regulations and practices dreamed up by others in EU countries who may not have the same priorities in their hearts. We need to support the change in data management we want to see. We can start by supporting Transparency International Ireland @Transparency_ie
I suppose they can all expect Irish Water Bills then seeing as the government so freely disclose people’s data to the utility!
The Data Protection Commissioner: about as fearsome as the 2 Gardaí in the D’Unbelievables sketch – “Ah ye can’t be doin’ that lads”.
You obviously haven’t been under scrutiny from them. I have and believe me their powers are frightening. I was the victim of an ‘anonymous’ tip off (turned out to be a competitor) but those guys have powers of search and seizure that the Gardai can only dream about. When i complained, i was basically told to suck it up. That was by two ministers.
That was in your case. This is Ireland – the little guy/girl experiences the full rigours of the law while the ruling elite and MNCs have a finger wagged in their general direction are gently admonished while not actually being penalised in any way for their actions. Twitter fall into the second category so I think “ye can’t be doing that lads” still applies.
What madman put anyone involved in the government in charge of Twitter privacy
KPMG?
Best not tell Irish water . they just love getting everyone’s data. Even the dead. They are probably getting all excited thinking they can sign up all 240 million new customers. After all they just register who they like.
And this is why Twitter will eventually fail.
2 very different standards of Data Protection, one of which is backed up by a legal system, the other a set of rules that will be enforced with a view to keeping jobs here.
Has she re-located from her office above the Centra in Portarlington yet?
Hard to take her seriously until he does!!
They set up a second office in Dublin ti deal with twitter/Facebook etc
Winding_down, why is it hard to take the office seriously because they work in an office outside of Dublin with a ground floor which has a convenience store? Walk around Dublin and you’ll see the same everywhere. You’re buying into the propaganda from some other EU states that have their offices located in very swanky State buildings. This makes them more independent just how?
And that last paragraph sums up why they are trusting this to Ireland. Less chance of a successful challenge in the Irish courts.
All I can say is, God help us all, if this is truly the case. Our Data Commissioner is a mere figurehead to comply with EU regulations. If any Commissioner actually attempted to regulate ANYTHING in this country they would be slapped down pdq.
Vote no.
An article about Twitter privacy , and we still can’t escape hearing about this fcuking referendum.
They really need to get an new office and at least look the part. They’re a bit of an online, running joke, at this point: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/11/05/linkedin_probe_ireland_data_cops_keep_stumm_over_outcome/
O holy jasus them poor poor Twitter users. There identities will be sold all over the world and it won’t be discovered for months. The government will then try and hide it and then a tribunal.
have your say