Author Archives: Simon McGarr
National Digital Research Centre: Brewster’s Millions with public money?
The National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) is the successor to the now departed MediaLab Europe in Dublin’s Digital Hub. Like all good corporate entities, it has a mission statement. “NDRC’s mission is to create market capital by accelerating ideas to income in a sustainable, ongoing and enduring way.” “Accelerating ideas to income” is what we might otherwise call helping to start a successful company. The company is a joint venture between Irish Universities and is funded, almost entirely, by a […]
EMI Records [Ireland] Ltd and Ors sue Irish ISPs
An interesting case has appeared in the High Court search system. Yesterday, EMI Records [Ireland] Ltd, Sony Music Entertainment [Ireland] Ltd, Universal Music Ireland Ltd and Warner Music Ireland Ltd filed papers in the High Court central office to commence proceedings against UPC Communications Ireland Ltd, Vodafone Ireland Ltd, Imagine Telecommunications Ltd, Digiweb Ltd and Hutchinson 3 G Ltd. The case is listed before the Commercial Court on the 17th December by way of Notice of Motion. This, of course, […]
Newspaper Licensing Ireland: 2nd letter for Women’s Aid re paying to link to newspaper websites
The following letter was sent on behalf of Women’s Aid to Newspaper Licensing Ireland Limited. The first letter to Newspaper Licensing Ireland Ltd can be read here: Newspaper Licensing Ireland Ltd asks Women’s Aid for money to link to newspaper websites Women’s Aid have agreed to allow us to publish their responses in the hope that it may prove helpful to other non-profit bodies who may receive similar requests. We have not charged any fee but if you feel like […]
How to request your Medical Records and pay less
Hospitals and doctors’ offices in Ireland will give a person their medical records if they ask for them. Mostly. Eventually. When they get to it. And, sometimes, if you pay them over €100 (for a large file). But, like so much else in the legal world, there is a set of magic words you can incant to place a 40 day deadline on the delivery of your papers and limit the cost to €6.35. You invoke the Data Protection Acts […]
How (and why) to complain about an unwanted political Automatic Phone Call
There are reports today of people receiving automatic dialling machine telephone calls relating to Ireland’s abortion legislation. Any group using these sorts of ‘robo-dialling’ systems, which are common in the USA, should first make themselves aware of the restrictions in this jurisdiction on this sort of communication. Directive 97/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the telecommunications sector (or The Directive, to […]
How to get rid of a NUI Senator
Although the Government has committed itself to holding a referendum to abolish the Seanad, institutions tend to be resilient and governments who have difficulties tend not to call avoidable referenda. That being the case, what should you do if you really wish one of the NUI Senators didn’t keep being elected? Whether it is Senator Ronan Mullen with his words, Senator Prof. John Crown with his trying to stop people dying of cancer or Senator Fergal Quinn with his […]
The Medical Council’s Guidance on Abortion
The Medical Council is the professional governing body for doctors in Ireland. It describes its role as being “responsible for protecting the public by promoting and better ensuring high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among doctors. Doctors must always be guided by their primary responsibility to act in the best interests of their patients.” To aid Doctors in meeting those responsibilities in difficult situations, the Medical Council has produced The Guide to Professional Conduct and […]
RTE Digital and the value of the licence fee
Last Saturday I spoke at the National Media Conference. It was an excellently organised day. I was embarrassed to be sent out with the quality of experts they had assembled. After all, unlike all the people speaking who make their living in the media, I have no more expertise than any other reader in their industry. Nonetheless, having participated in a refreshingly sane and reasonable discussion about the meaning and impact of Leveson to the media here, I went next […]
The Children’s Referendum and Other Trust Issues
During the campaign for the Children’s Rights Referendum every person with any claim to credibility on the issue was in agreement. Children’s lives were going to be made potentially (and, in some cases, actually) better if the country voted Yes. This morning, as the boxes are opened and the tallies are incomplete, it appears that, as a result of the campaign, the support from the electorate for the Yes side dropped from over 70% to about 55-65%. In addition, very […]
All Comms now working smoothly
All our phone, fax and email systems are back working again. Thank you for your patience. At the moment all Internet, phone and fax service to and from our office is broken. Our Comms provider thinks that they will have the matter solved today. We’ll update this post when service has been restored.