This week’s Budget 2019 announcement included an increase in funding of 3.5m for the Data Protection Commission (DPC). This allocation brings the total annual funding for the regulator to €15.2m.

The introduction of GDPR this May predictably saw an increase in the work of the DPC. The DPC confirmed in a press release this week that since the 25 May more than 1,700 complaints and 2,500 data breach notifications were received by the DPC. These figures represent a doubling of the complaints received, and a trebling of the number of breach notifications compared with the same period last year. 

Recruitment 

In line with the regulators increased work load, staff number have increased in the past three years to 120 and that figure is set to rise. It is expected that the recruitment programme in 2019 will bring the total number of staff to 180.

Supervisory Authority Role 

These funds will be crucial to ensuring the DPC is well resourced in its ongoing supervision of data rich multinationals. It is a welcome investment in light of the sheer number of tech giants and other multinationals with European HQ’s in the jurisdiction.

Contributed by: John O’Connor

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