Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, T.D. last week announced that the Government will appoint two additional Commissioners to Ireland’s Data Protection Commission.
The two newly appointed commissioners will support the evolving organisational structure, governance and business needs of the Data Protection Commission. The appointments are to be made in accordance with Section 15 of the Data Protection Act 2018, which provides for up to three Commissioners to be appointed. The current Commissioner Helen Dixon will be appointed as Chairperson of the Data Protection Commission.
The decision follows an examination instigated in 2021 by former Minister for Justice, Heather Humphreys, T.D. to consider whether an increase in the membership of the Commission should be pursued. This was initiated on the basis that the DPC has evolved significantly since its inception and that the number of cases to be investigated as well as the complexity of cases before the commission has grown significantly.
Speaking after Cabinet, Minister McEntee said:
The Data Protection Commission has performed its role of independent data protection regulation in the State very effectively to date. In recent years, the Commission is dealing with an increased workload with increasingly complex investigative requirements.
Today’s Government decision sends a strong statement of its intention to continue to build the capacity of the Data Protection Commission, support the existing Commissioner and ensure that the Commission can continue to deliver on its role.
The process to select the two new Commissioners is to be undertaken by the Public Appointments Service, as provided for under Section 15 of the Data Protection Act 2018. The appointments will then be made by the Government. It is expected that this process will take in the region of six months to complete.