Art, media, opinion and ideas
Digital Rights Ireland are represented by McGarr Solicitors (where I hang my scarf of a workday). They're currently in litigation with the Government about the introduction of Data Retention across Europe. Recently, the Irish Times reported that a government order to keep details of internet use by everyone in Ireland was imminent.
For those who might be interested in such things McGarr Solicitors, where I earn my daily bread, have posted scans of the pleadings to date in the Digital Rights Ireland data retention case. So far these consist of the Plenary Summons and the Appearance entered by the Defendants.
For people looking for an introduction to one of the most pernicious aspects of Data Retention, The Midnight Court has posted what it promises will be the introduction to a series of essays on the consequences of Data Retention in law.
The Irish Times has an leader article today on Data Retention. A small extract:Perhaps because such legislation deals with electronic data, and the surveillance happens unseen in the background, it has not provoked significant public debate.
Some time ago, Karlin Lillington of the Irish Times linked to details of a secret Council of Ministers questionnaire. This was drawn up in advance of any data retention legislation being in place, in November 2002. It is interesting in its entirety, but I'd particularly draw people's attention to question 5 and the Irish Government's answer.
Digital Rights Ireland have sent letters to the Minister for Justice, the Minister for Communications and the Garda Commissioner looking for undertakings in relation to data retention. McGarr Solicitors represent DRI. I won't be commenting on the case beyond this.
I'm sure that the DRI people will be all over this, but I just thought that people might be interested to know that an objection to the Data Retention Directive was lodged today by the Irish Government with the European Court of Justice. Today was the last possible day to lodge such an objection. The contents of that objection aren't clear yet.
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