21 April 2020 Both the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Digital Rights Ireland (DRI) have welcomed a 40-page letter from UN expert Philip Alston to the Irish State regarding the Public Services Card. The letter details the 20-year …
COVID-19 Highlights Why Disinformation Online is a Rights-Based Issue
In recent weeks, the outbreak of COVID-19 has demonstrated how false rumours, unverified information, and harmful lies can be spread with rapid speed and unprecedented efficiency. Amongst many pressing concerns associated with the response to COVID-19, the proliferation of disinformation …
DRI & ICCL call for suspension of PSC requirement during COVID-19
DRI and ICCL call for suspension of PSC requirement for jobseekers during COVID-19
Sample letter seeking preservation of CCTV footage
DATE Private & Confidential ADDRESS Re: Insert time and location Dear X, We are requesting that CCTV footage from X time on Y date be preserved and a copy of same released to me. We are making this request under …
The use of Facial Recognition Technology is growing
ICCL is extremely concerned that FRT may be used on children at the New Children’s Hospital. We work really hard every day to protect privacy. Because our privacy is our freedom to think, speak and act as we wish. And …
Concern at growing use of unnecessary and possibly illegal Facial Recognition Technology
9 December 2019 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said it extremely concerned about growing and unnecessary use of Facial Recognition Technology in Irish society. The statement comes on the back of news that the New Children’s Hospital …
Where Are Our Safe Zones?
6 December 2019 It’s now a year since Simon Harris promised he would bring forward legislation to guarantee safe, private and dignified access to abortion services. One year later, we’re still waiting. Will you email your TD, asking them to …
National Childcare Scheme registration will force PSC on those living in poverty
20 November 2019 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has today hit out at the National Childcare Scheme Public Services Card requirement saying that, not only is this requirement illegal, but it is highly discriminatory and will violate the …
Strong Irish support for a ban on killer robots
13 November 2019 This morning, the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots share a survey which shows 81% of Irish respondents are in favour of a ban on killer robots. A majority of people (73%) in 10 European countries want their …
Body-worn cameras for Gardaí would breach privacy and trust
Dublin, 31 October 2019 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said that the use of body-worn cameras by An Garda Síochana is likely to breach privacy rights, affect a range of other rights and hinder community policing. In …
ICCL Gendered Online Harassment paper
Online harassment and harmful communications are significant social problems mirroring structural exclusions offline. This is a gendered problem: 23% of women across the EU have reported experiencing online abuse in their lifetime. At ICCL we recently carried out independent qualitative …
ICCL calls for action on image-based sexual abuse, including reform of legal aid
ICCL carried out independent qualitative research into online harassment in Ireland and found that most victims of online harassment are women.
The human cost of surveillance tech
Tech Won’t Build It Ireland will host a Q&A session with our privacy and information rights expert, Elizabeth Farries. Where? at A4 Sounds, St Joseph’s Parade, Dublin 1. When? at 7pm on the 9 October. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-human-cost-of-surveillance-tech-qa-with-elizabeth-farries-iccl-tickets-74099273923 Liz will …
DPC report devastating for Government: ICCL
ICCL reacts to the Department of Social Protection release of the Public Services Card report
Behind the scenes at #TechForGood
Dublin, 4 September 2019 ICCL invited some of the world’s most exciting online activists to Ireland to talk to the bright sparks of Dublin’s tech industry about how to protect human rights during their work. Here’s some behind-the-scenes footage from …
International privacy experts condemn government handling of PSC debacle
Dublin, 3 September 2019 A group of international privacy and technology experts has sharply criticised the government decision to appeal the Data Protection Commissioner’s findings on the Public Services Card. They also condemned the outrageous decision to refuse to publish …
ICCL calls for action on disappeared children
Dublin, 30 August 2019 On the International Day of the Disappeared, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has reiterated our call for the government to ratify the UN Convention on Enforced Disappearances (CED). It is essential that government appropriately …
ICCL welcomes Data Protection Commissioner’s finding that Public Services Card is illegal across public services
Dublin, 16 August 2019 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has welcomed the Data Protection Commissioner’s (DPC) long awaited report into the legality of the Public Services Card (PSC). We particularly note and welcome the DPC’s findings that there …
The Public Services Card
Here are three fundamental problems with the PSC The card may be illegal under European law. The card targets economically vulnerable people, such as those in receipt of social welfare, pension, child benefit or State grants. It has cost an …
UN poverty expert hits out at disproportionate impact of Public Services Card
Dublin, 29 July 2019 The UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty, Professor Philip Alston, has said the roll-out of the Public Services Card (PSC) without a clear legal basis could have huge potential consequences for future governance. He also said …