The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has moved to new headquarters in Dublin.
The building project was commenced by the Office of Public Works in May 2023, and has brought together all of the DPC’s Dublin-based staff into one office.
The DPC said its new headquarters provides staff with a greatly improved, modern and collaborative work environment that will support the work it does both in Ireland and across the EU.
Since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018, the DPC has imposed fines of more than €4 billion on big tech firms.
Just €20 million of that has been paid, as most of the rulings are under appeal.
In May 2023, the DPC imposed a record fine of €1.2bn on Meta for breaches relating to the transfer of personal data from the EU to the US.
Earlier this month, the DPC fined video-sharing platform TikTok €530 million over the transfer of the personal data of European users to China.
The DPC’s new headquarters was officially opened today at an event attended by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
“As the DPC continues to play a leading role in European data protection, this new home will help us meet that responsibility with confidence and ambition,” said Data Protection Commissioner Dr Des Hogan.
His fellow Commissioner Dale Sunderland added that the new building is a reflection of how far the DPC has grown and developed as an organisation.
“A decade ago, we were fewer than 50 people. Now, we’re 275 strong and continuing to grow,” Mr Sunderland said.
