Data body may sue government
Saturday July 29 2006
Under current law, electronic data on individuals who either use a mobile phone or a landline is retained for three years. This includes the physical location of every mobile phone in the country and the numbers dialled from every mobile and landline.
Gardai may access the information, without a ministerial or court order, and it does not have to be in response to a crime.
"This mass surveillance by the State is a breach of our right to privacy as set out in our constitution and in the European Convention on Human Rights which has been incorporated into Irish law," DRI chairman TJ McIntyre said yesterday.
DRI said it had issued warning letters to the Departments of Communication and Justice, Equality and Law reform as well as the Garda Commissioner and added that its court of first instance was the High Court.
He added that the Garda Commissioner has also been called upon to withdraw any and all requests made to telecommunications companies to store this data.
- Ailish O'Hora
