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TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has told the Dáil that he uses a personal email account for official business.
However, Kenny said that he does not transmit “corporate business” on the email address, which he has “had for some time”.
Kenny was asked by Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin whether his Department has a policy on the use of unofficial email accounts.
He said that the Department has “detailed lCT policies relating to the use of e-mail and the Internet which are provided to all staff” but Martin pressed him on the use of personal emails.
“I endeavour to ascertain from the Taoiseach whether he is satisfied that our system is fit for purpose in the context of the challenges democratic Governments now face regarding the security of their IT systems, in particular in respect of e-mail accounts and so on.
There is the official route of encryption of official documents and so on but also the separate matter of the use of unofficial e-mails.
Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams and Labour’s Brendan Howlin also voiced their concerns in the wake of news that Russian hackers had sought to influence the US election by hacking the Democratic and Republican parties.
Kenny responded that he was “advised that the situation is secure” but that a personal address was used.
“I have a private e-mail account that pre-dates my time as Taoiseach and which I use for personal correspondence or for party political correspondence that would not be appropriate to transmit on an official e-mail account from the Department.
“The Department has an official account for my constituency office for receipt of matters relevant to the Cabinet or the agenda in that sense. Sometimes I receive correspondence through that official e-mail address.
I also use a secure corporate e-mail account to enable officials to send me priority e-mails when I am out of the office. I can access this e-mail account on my mobile telephone or iPad. No corporate data, other than e-mail and calendar data, is accessible from these devices. All corporate data on the devices is encrypted. Both devices are protected through specialised mobile device management products.
Obviously, I generally use the corporate e-mail for official purposes. In the past, there have been occasions when I have used that personal e-mail because of operational reasons. However, information does not go there from the secured encrypted e-mails. Government agenda or business comes to me via encrypted e-mail addresses.
“I have seen what happens internationally. Irrespective of the firewalls put in place, I have a healthy scepticism of the ability of people to be able to breach them.”
Last month, it was revealed that the Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan had used a private gmail account to discuss garda business.
Hahahahahaha. He’ll do and say anything to look like an important international statesman. Can’t wait for the next instalment when Putin hacks the account. ‘That’s a breast snackbox, Fionnuala, but hold the curry sauce.’
Remember when the US were hacking world leaders phones and his department conducted an investigation to see if he was on the list ? To paraphrase Oscar Wilde… “The only thing worse than finding out you’ve been hacked by the US government is finding out you haven’t”….
Taoiseach’s highly personal emails are from Dobby, Phil Hogan, Michael Lowry, Alan Kelly and such like about highly personal matters outside of the scope of the Freedom of Information Act.
In fairness I’d assume DoB’s communications mysteriously and anonymously arrive by a USB in an envelope on Endas desk.
@Poole Hyde: that’s the standard approach.
Michael, if it’s that easy to get a “package” to DoB… well we’ll just leave it there shall we…
Written in crayon more like
@Micheal OLainn: At least he has stopped using the Ouija board?
Staggering level of carelessness in this day and age.
Seems stupidity is not the exclusive preserve of the US Democratic Party.
Is gmail any more or less secure than an oireachtas email address?
If the man had any brains there might be a problem.
@Bryan Yelahw:
I would sincerely hope there are greater layers of security on government systems.
@Bryan Yelahw: Well according to Enda himself the oireachtas email service is encrypted while gmail is not….
Much much less…. they can do what they like with your email content!!…. When you upload, submit, store, send or receive content to or through our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps).
Alrx. I doubt even Trump would have anything to say to him, and Trump to me is less than nothing.
Use of private emails is common practice in governments worldwide, you’re considered reckless if you don’t, as FOI means official email is never secure.
@Bryan Yelahw: Yes, because you need to have access to sign into the private network, the security credentials of the private network and your own personal email security information. If there is a breach that information is logged and available to the network owner so they’d be able to identify the material that was accessed.
Anyone on the planet can open a browser and sign into a gmail account if you have the login information.
@Rochelle: People, including Enda, need education on that.
themayoturnip@yahoo,com
@Michael Clinton: that is a horrible slur on turnips, most of which are far more intelligent than our glorious Taoiseach.
@Michael Clinton: He is useing gobshit@gmail.com
Not the first comment I’ve seen here referencing Mayo. What has where the Taoiseach is from got to do with this story? I never heard the counties of Cowan or Ahern brought into it? Or for that matter Adana, Murphy and the like
Brian Cowan is more commonly referred to as biffo! No escaping the county reference there. Healy raes synonymous with Kerry.
This is ok how? TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has told the Dáil that he uses a personal email account for official business.
Ah its like the Garda commissioner. It’s grand nothing to worry about.
Now enda explain how private emails end up with journalists?
Enda doesn’t explain his motives to the peasants…
@LITTLEONE: Where does it actually say that in the article?
As far as I can see it says he uses his personal email address for personal emails..
“I have a private e-mail account that pre-dates my time as Taoiseach and which I use for personal correspondence or for party political correspondence that would not be appropriate to transmit on an official e-mail account”
“information does not go there from the secured encrypted e-mails. Government agenda or business comes to me via encrypted e-mail addresses”
I’d say you’d struggle to find anyone that doesn’t have a person email address alongside their work one.
@ManOnTheStreet: Motives . Enda wouldn’t be able to conceive a motive. Someone else would have to explain it to him.
@Shane Corry: did you read the article. Very first paragraph.
TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has told the Dáil that he uses a personal email account for official business.. he told the dail.. are you saying he didn’t? But then he lird in the dail
Lied
LITTLEONE. He really is a gob chiyte go back to Mayo you ignorant gombeen.
Little one he said official business, not official fail business.
As others have said, most individuals with corporate accounts also receive communication to personal emails which often predate the corporate. As long as no confidential information I don’t see the issue.
@ LITTLEONE He is such an Idiot. His party should have never given him the role of Leader he is one of the worst in the Country with Haughty and Aherne. The 3 Stooges.
Private emails in the interests of openness, transparency and integrity.
In reality, secrecy is the hand maiden of corruption, not that any Irish politician would ever, ever engage in corrupt actions.
You’ve got Rupert Murdoch to thank for that, the first rule of politics is now: how could this be twisted into something it’s not on the front page of a Murdoch paper ? Ok best I send it by private email !
Much more telling that he describes government business as corporate business
@*The* Brendan Gordon: Following the U.S. Model with the Industrial Millitary Complex? There they just start wars?
Why not just get something like Google for Apps (Like gmail but with a custom URL / branding / admin panel etc)
Much simpler than using some expensive, internally built email solution that’s not fit for purpose meaning you have to use a Gmail address anyway.
Ah don’t go confusing the man.
@Shane: Shouldn’t trust any one organisation, like Google, with protecting the world’s government data. Gives them too much power. And that much power is very incentivising.
Better for individual countries to spend their money and effort creating much smaller networks for their government. I’m not saying it will be more secure, but it will be better for civilisation in the long run, I believe.
I’m sure all the people in Ireland who supported Hillary in the U.S. election will leap to his defence.
It may come as a surprise to you but use of private email by governments the world over is not only common practice but is considered prudent. Their a very good reason for that, but I can tell you’re post-truth kinda guy and therefore not interested in why.
@Boganity: As long as he’s not doing anything work related on his private email, I don’t see a problem. He probably is though. What do you reckon?
FOI means official email is not secure so public officials avoid it for that reason
Stupid fuc##r
Lock him up! Lock him up!
I’d normally be the first to complain but meh, whatever.
After the news that €2,000,000,000.00 was wasted on the setup of a soon to be privatised quango it’s a little problem.
Was he making sure the Mayo county board coughed up All Ireland tickets for his buddy Michelle?
I hope People are not surprised Kenny is a crook in the making.
It has to be either dumb.dumb@gmail.com or pat.my.head&watch.me.purr@gmail.com. Password 1234.
Does it really matter?
Not in the least John, quite the opposite in fact. Only a fool uses official email because FOI means it’s not secure. If a public official anywhere tells you they only use official email they’re lying.
Lock him up, lock him up!!
I always accidentally use my personal email instead of my college email when emailing lectures it’s actually quite an easy mistake so I kinda understand why he did. Also when I was younger my school won a green flag for being environmentally aware and Enda raised the flag for us. he seemed pretty sound and quite funny
@Andre Carboni:
Why? Did he tel you some really funny jokes or something?
OH, the one about meeting ‘an environmentally friendly man the other day…’ Absolutely hilarious that one, A real gem.
Your fond memories of that mirthful day are perfectly understandable Andre.
You said it was Bertie last week.
Does it really matter?
No. Just another non story to feed the appetite of the headline readers
@Jim Kirby: does it really matter? That the taoiseach along with the Garda commissioner use Gmail for official business. The fact you asked that is amazing and the fact Niall’s agreed with you is something else.
It’s common practice the world over for public officials to use private emails as FOI means they are never secure. In fact one of the conditions of use for official emails is “never write anything you would not want made public”.
@Jim Kirby: No, he was probably hacked ages ago…
He must resign now.
kenny a dead man walking now you see him now you dont i thought he was our great leader!!
Shocking. Can’t believe this t1t can use a computer.
Suppose in some mitigation there’s a big difference between using unsecured email servers when you have a senior role in a government of a country that possesses the capacity to reach out and destroy anywhere with yottatonnes of nuclear fire from anywhere else on the planet (hello Hilliary), and when you have a senior role in a government of a country that …well…all due respect here but….two Piper Cubs, a couple RiBs and a rowing boat along with the Sliabh na mBan and a few ancient .303s and Lugers off the Asgard…comparatively speaking I mean…I just can’t see the Enemies of the Free World having IndaDeMightyFramDeBogBelowBelmullet@hotmail.com high up their list of cyber-attack targets. But ya never know I suppose…
Didn’t learn his lesson from Hillary then!
In his defence the houses of the Oireachtas use Lotus Notes, a mockery of an e-mail system created by IBM. It is to e-mail what tying stone tablets to pigeons is to post. Hiring a town crier would be faster, more secure, and less of a morass of bad design and unpredictable behaviour.
Where are the Russians, when you need them?
AnTaoiseach@gmail.com exists and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was that dumb to use that handle
Keeping up with the joneses!
Yes the one that is http://www.merkelsbeast.conjob
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