From top: Data Protection Commission office; Meta’s Dublin HQ (formerly Facebook)

This afternoon

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has denied claims that it lobbied members of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to help allow Facebook to bypass General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Via RTÉ News:

The commission has also denied it acted in bad faith by holding talks with Facebook in a manner that it has been claimed by privacy campaigners sought to subvert the procedures of the EDPB.

The developments follow allegations made against the DPC in recent days by NOYB, the organisation run by Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems.

He claimed that documents, released under the Freedom of Information Act, showed the DPC tried to lobby other European data protection authorities for the adoption of a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) “bypass” approach to user data collection.

According to Mr Schrems, the “freedom of contract” approach would have allowed data controllers to put a clause into their terms and conditions, to make the harvesting of data necessary for a contract, in effect bypassing the consent requirement under GDPR.

Meanwhile…

The DPC acknowledged that the position it ultimately put forward on the issue of contract at the working group was not acceptable to many in the group and it became clear a consensus could not be built.

Anyone?

Data Protection Commission rejects Schrems’ claims on lobbying (RTÉ)

RollingNews

They’ve had a few ales is all.

This afternoon.

Lost another phone down the ‘john’?

Our friends at Irish brand Fónfix – Ireland’s only manufacturer approved mobile phone and mobile device repair centre – are fully braced for a ‘seasonal surge’ in repairs.

They have compiled some simple tips to help steer you and your mobile safely through the festive season and thereafter. To wit:

Prep your phone for partying! Take the time to sync or download your precious photos and make sure you can find your phone if it does go missing – whether an iPhone or an Android, there’s a tracking app that can help. If you do lose your phone, you won’t have lost what’s on it, and stand the best chance of getting it back! Also, top tip for silly season is to make sure your mobile device is password locked.

Invest in a good Phone Case and Screen Protector – it’s the best way to avoid damage if you drop your phone. And if the worst happens, Fónfix can fix this issue, usually cheaper than unofficial stores, using manufacturer approved parts without invalidating any further warranty.

Take care in the Toilet! The “phone fell down the toilet” scenario is one of the most common causes of water damage seen by Fónfix, and never more so than at this time of year.

Dodge dodgy App Downloads – If you’re lucky enough to get a new phone for Christmas, there’s a temptation to try out some interesting apps. But Fónfix recommends that you only download apps from reputable stores, such as Google play store or the App Store on Apple. Otherwise you could download a virus creating a security issue, or worse!

Battery Life – Getting into a battery charging routine is extremely important for your Smartphone to ensure the longevity of the health of your smartphone battery. Continuous charging or over-charging can degrade the quality of your Smartphone battery rapidly and may reduce your battery lifespan. And don’t forget that it is possible to change your battery and give your Smartphone a new lease of life!

More suggestions welcome below.

Fónfix

Shutterstock

This afternoon.

Clontarf, Dublin.

Terrified residents venture briefly outside as Storm Barra reaches its ‘halway stage’.

Storm Barra at ‘halfway stage’ as 49,000 without power (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

‘sup?

GET inside, now!

This is not a drill.

RollingNews

Earlier….

This morning.

Bray, county Wicklow.

Thanks The Dude

Booster queue at Croke Park vaccination centre last week

This afternoon.

Dáil Eireann.

The Taoiseach has told the Dáil that tens of thousands of people are not turning up for booster vaccines.

Micheál Martin revealed that in the week beginning 22 November, some 208,000 vaccine appointments were offered and just 80,000 people tuned up.

He added that last week 180, 000 booster appointments were available and only 93,000 attended.

However, it is not clear if some of those missed appointments were double bookings.

The Taoiseach said the same urgency does not seem be there around boosters compared to earlier vaccines.

Thousands of missed vaccine booster appointments, Taoiseach tells Dáil (RTÉ)

Earlier…

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly

This afternoon.

Meanwhile…

Gulp.

Meanwhile…

Um.

KN writes;

This is the Moderna world…

Earlier: Losing Count

Meanwhile…

Oliver Cole – Cuddle A Puddle

There’s no business like snow business.

Former Turn singer Oliver Cole (top) charms the Christmas socks off us with this quirky Yuletide love song with a twist.

Oliver writes:

“Cuddle a Puddle tells the tale of a true Christmas romance. A love story that blossoms and melts but leaves the heart warmer and wiser for next year.”

All proceeds go to Temple Street Children’s University Hospital in Dublin.

Oliver has also just released a download-only live album Live At The Grand Social via his bandcamp page.

Nick says: Keep the Cole fire burning.

Oliver Cole

Last night.

Adelaide, Australia.

Meanwhile…

This morning

Meanwhile…

Yesterday.

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne’s return to pre-season training has ended abruptly for premiership star Jake Lever, who fainted on the track.

Lever collapsed on the far side of the ground at Casey, after a gruelling running drill.

The 25-year-old was immediately attended to by club medical staff, who huddled around him for about 20 minutes. Both coach Simon Goodwin and head of football Alan Richardson also showed concern for the defender’s wellbeing.

Jake Lever collapses in scary incident at Demons’ first pre-season training session (9News)

Meanwhile….

This morning.

The NUI Galway socks are back!

Joanne Brophy writes:

Our fundraising socks featuring a tribute to the iconic “Galway Yellow” (AKA Big Yellow Thing) sculpture on campus. The socks, a collaboration with Galway company Irish Socksciety, are on sale now for €9 a pair with all proceeds going to the SU charities. They’re an ideal present for anyone who has ever said “I’ll meet ya at the Big Yellow Thing” over the years!

The “Galway Yellow” sculpture outside the NUIG Library was created by artist Brian King in 1976 and has been a landmark and meeting point for UCG/NUIG students since then. It goes by a few nicknames most commonly “The Big Yellow Thing” but also “The Squiggle” and “Archimedes’ Balls“.

The socks are on sale now from the SU website (at link below) , the SU Office and the SU Shop at NUI Galway.

The SU Charities this year are: Galway Rape Crisis Centre and BeLongTo Youth Services.

NUIG SU Shop

Irish-made stocking fillers to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘Irish-Made Stocking Fillers’

This morning.

Via Irish Times:

The average deposit needed to buy a home is now €52,500 for a first-time buyer (FTB) and €135,000 for a mover purchaser, according to figures from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI).

This is more than double what it was less than a decade ago, reflecting the rapid increase in house prices since the low point of the crash in 2012 and the Central Bank of Ireland’s mortgage lending rules, which require buyers to have bigger deposits relative to the value of the property.

The BPFI’s latest housing market monitor includes a loan-level analysis of the source of deposits in the first half of 2021.

It found that nearly 42 per cent of FTBs and 25 per cent of mover purchasers used gifts as part of their deposits.

First-time buyer needs €52,500 for average deposit (Irish Times)

Meanwhile…

Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan said:

“An entire generation has been locked out of the market. Average deposits are now more than double what they were just 10 years ago. How can anyone on an average income afford to save €52,000? Homeownership is simply slipping out of reach for many young people.

“The pressure to save vast sums of money, while also paying incredibly high rents, is putting people under huge stress and strain. It is therefore unsurprising that four in ten first-time buyers are reliant on gifts from parents in order to fund the purchase of a home.

“House prices have shot up by over 12pc in a year. This is unsustainable. The housing market is out of control and there is no evidence that the Government’s housing plan is working. In fact, things are getting worse instead of better.

“The solution to this crisis is crystal clear – the State must build thousands of homes that are genuinely affordable. This can be done by using public land. To date, this has not been done anywhere near the scale that is required. We need 10,000 affordable homes to be built each year.”

RollingNews

Broadsheet.ie