Privacy groups criticise appointment of third Irish DPA Commissioner
A coalition of privacy organisations, including the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, has expressed strong concerns about the Government’s appointment of a third Commissioner to the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC). The groups say the selection of Niamh Sweeney, announced last month, raises serious questions about conflicts of interest because of her previous senior roles at Meta-owned services such as WhatsApp and Facebook. Their letter argues that appointing a former high-level public affairs executive from a company the DPC regulates signals a worrying disregard for EU law and public trust in regulatory independence.
The organisations requested a public response from the Government and highlighted potential legal and ethical implications under EU data protection standards. They maintain that regulators must be free from close, recent ties to large regulated entities to ensure impartial enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and related EU rules. The letter frames the appointment as inconsistent with principles designed to prevent regulatory capture and maintain effective oversight of major technology platforms.
The Department of Justice said the appointment followed Section 15 of the Data Protection Act, under which the Government appoints a Commissioner on the recommendation of the Public Appointments Service. The Department stated that it is fully satisfied with the appointment process. The DPC itself welcomed the addition of Ms Sweeney to the Commission at the time of the announcement.
Observers note that the episode underscores growing scrutiny of how data protection authorities manage potential conflicts of interest when recruiting senior officials with industry experience. Legal experts say transparent selection criteria and clear cooling-off rules are essential to preserve regulator credibility and to ensure enforcement decisions are perceived as independent and consistent with EU law.
