McDowell may fight EU data directive

[Dubliner]

According to the Examiner:

IRELAND is considering taking a case to the European Union's top court over a new directive on storing telephone and internet data.

EU justice ministers agreed by a majority vote last Monday to store personal communication data of everyone in the union for a period not less than six months and not more than two years.............

The minister's spokesman said: "The minister believes this is in contravention of the EU treaties, which maintain the right for national arrangements on grounds of public security."

The EU directive states data can be retained for "not more than two years." The Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act, passed by the Oireachtas last year stipulates a three-year period.

The minister's spokesman said Ireland was allowed to keep its three-year period.

Any idea why McDowell is fighting this? What does he hope to gain? Is that he won't be able to make sneaky changes to the retention provisions?

[cyberianpan]

According to the Examiner:

IRELAND is considering taking a case to the European Union's top court over a new directive on storing telephone and internet data.

EU justice ministers agreed by a majority vote last Monday to store personal communication data of everyone in the union for a period not less than six months and not more than two years.............

The minister's spokesman said: "The minister believes this is in contravention of the EU treaties, which maintain the right for national arrangements on grounds of public security."

The EU directive states data can be retained for "not more than two years." The Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act, passed by the Oireachtas last year stipulates a three-year period.

The minister's spokesman said Ireland was allowed to keep its three-year period.

Any idea why McDowell is fighting this? What does he hope to gain? Is that he won't be able to make sneaky changes to the retention provisions?

He currently has 3 yeras data , he's been asked to drop it to 2. Some lazy security elements are doubtless whispering in his ears that we need at least 3 years data to keep Ireland secure.

Has McDowell even costed this ?

Has he any notion on the TCO of a 3 year vs 2 year ?

Is McDowell a competent authority on counter terrorism ?
Is he a competent authority on IT ?

PanMan

[FutureTaoiseach]

Actually I understand Ireland has been given a derogation to allow it to continue with 3 years. McDowell is objecting to the way it was passed (in the ambit of Single Market issues I think) as opposed to Justice and Home Affairs, where Ireland has a veto.

[Pidge]

Is he a competent authority on IT ?

Do you actually think Ministers should be experts on absolutely everything which could conceivably come under their brief?

[Hooked]

McDowell set it at 3 years at the request of the Yanks. This was due to the known terrrorist threat the population of Ireland posed to the States.

[cyberianpan]

Is he a competent authority on IT ?

Do you actually think Ministers should be experts on absolutely everything which could conceivably come under their brief?

No but he wants to/did pass a law that he does not know the cost of ... that's very naughty, he should provide costings

[jmcc]

Has McDowell even costed this ?

Has he any notion on the TCO of a 3 year vs 2 year ?

Do you?
Are you a competent authority on IT?
Or are you merely relying on what you read in the Irish Times about data retention?

Regards...jmcc

[cyberianpan]

Has McDowell even costed this ?

Has he any notion on the TCO of a 3 year vs 2 year ?

Do you?
Are you a competent authority on IT?
Or are you merely relying on what you read in the Irish Times about data retention?

Regards...jmcc

I'd say yes, at the moment I am responsible for project budgets totalling about €250,000 per month ... I also implement policy , design systems etc. Sometimes I still program

I work for the people that advise the people that advise Brian Cowen on goverance & costing of IT pojects.

[jmcc]

I'd say yes, at the moment I am responsible for project budgets totalling about €250,000 per month ... I also implement policy , design systems etc. Sometimes I still program

I work for the people that advise the people that advise Brian Cowen on goverance & costing of IT pojects.

Right. So what is the cost of the data retention op?

Regards...jmcc

[cyberianpan]

I'd say yes, at the moment I am responsible for project budgets totalling about €250,000 per month ... I also implement policy , design systems etc. Sometimes I still program

I work for the people that advise the people that advise Brian Cowen on goverance & costing of IT pojects.

Right. So what is the cost of the data retention op?

Regards...jmcc

ain't got a rashers ... but could do

Approach 1)
I'd have to go out to all the telcos & ISPs that this affected & determine their systems architecture & fulfillment requirements & then model back price

That would take at least 5 man years effort

Approach 2)

Research average usage volumes for the various channel types in Ireland with aid of indstry groups etc etc

Reckon that would take me 1 month


What I'm trying to illustrate is that is serious work

At a high level estimate I would caution that the difference between 2 years & 3 years is not a simple factor of 50%

An order of magnitude wild guestimate on my part would be that he is talking of > €10,000,000 per year per year

I.e. if he wants 4 years back that will cost €40,000,000 each year . 2 years back €20,000,000 each year

Again the above is so riddled with assumptions that I shudder but it begins to give an idea I hope. Naturally the tab is picked up by the telcos & passed onto Joe Soap

McDowell:

If you think there is a BENEFIT please do a COSTING ... he can't just arbitrarily pick a figure out of the air ....