Sir, – Just in case anyone was under the impression that Ireland was somehow immune to PRISM-type activities (“Online surveillance defended by US spy chief”, Business, June 7th), it is worth recalling the 2005 Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act, introduced by Michael McDowell when he was minister for justice. Article 63 of the Act permits the Garda commissioner to request Irish fixed line and mobile phone operators to “retain, for a period of three years, traffic data or location data or both”.
One would imagine that the exercise of such powers would require pretty strong legitimation. Instead the commissioner may make a request on the basis of such broad criteria as the “prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of crime” or “the safeguarding of the security of the State”.
These are unusual powers by any standards and far in excess of the six months limit on data retention recommended by the EU Directorate with responsibility for data protection. – Yours, etc,
Dr RODDY FLYNN,
School of Communications,
Dublin City University,
Dublin 9.