Irish Government publishes Data Protection Bill 2018

The Government has published the eagerly awaited Data Protection Bill 2018 to give effect to the GDPR (2016/679) and to provide, in the limited areas permitted, for national derogations. The Bill repeals the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 (the Acts), except for those provisions relating to the processing of personal data for the purposes of national security, defence and the international relations of the State.  It also provides for similar restrictions on individuals’ rights to those which currently exist under section 5 and 8 of the Acts, such as in regard to data processed for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of criminal offences; or for the exercise or defence of legal claims.