O’Flynn Exhams hosts sold-out GDPR breakfast seminar

Speakers at Páirc Uí Chaoimh warned businesses that time is running out to prepare for the ramifications of the GDPR on how they store customer and employee personal data.

The new regulation will significantly tighten data protection laws and strengthen individuals’ rights. Fines for serious breaches could rise to as much as €20,000,000 or 4 per cent of global turnover.

The keynote address at the sold-out seminar was given by Seamus Carroll, head of the data protection unit at the Department of Justice, who represented Ireland during the EU Working Group negotiations which resulted in the GDPR.

Conor Lupton, partner in O’Flynn Exhams corporate team; Judith Curtin, solicitor at O’Flynn Exhams; and Susan Cavanagh, account executive at Willis Towers Watson also spoke.

Commenting on the event, Richard Neville, managing partner at O’Flynn Exhams, said: “The impact of GDPR will be felt across all sectors, and will increase the obligations businesses have, not only to their customers, but also to their employees, who will see their rights strengthened around how their personal data is processed and stored.

“With the Data Protection Bill due to be introduced in the coming days, and GDPR coming into effect on 25th May 2018, businesses need to put processes in place now to ensure they are compliant.

“At O’Flynn Exhams, we are continuously looking for ways to bolster our client offering, and, as such, are also offering in-house GDPR training sessions and out-sourced data protection officer services.”