(AGENPARL) – Thu 16 October 2025 The Data Protection Commission and Coimisiún na Meán sign Cooperation Agreement and issue Joint Statement on Children
The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has today signed a Cooperation Agreement with Coimisiún na Meán. The DPC and Coimisiún na Meán have also issued a joint statement in which both regulators highlight their commitment to advancing the safety of children and protection of their personal data online.
Cooperation Agreement
The DPC and Coimisiún na Meán are both committed to fostering an effective working relationship, by promoting a culture of cooperation and collaboration between both organisations. The shared objective of this Agreement is to enable a close working relationship between the DPC and Coimisiún na Meán, including through the appropriate sharing of information, and it signifies our intention to cooperate proactively in matters of common interest. The agreement was signed by Commissioners for Data Protection Des Hogan, Dale Sunderland and Niamh Sweeney, alongside Niamh Hodnett (Online Safety Commissioner) and John Evans (Digital Services Commissioner) from Coimisiún na Meán.
Speaking at the signing of the Agreement earlier today, the DPC’s Commissioners remarked that “Today marks a significant milestone in the DPC’s commitment to inter-regulatory cooperation. As regulators in the digital space, it is crucial that we work very closely with our colleagues at Coimisiún na Meán on areas of inter-regulatory overlap to ensure that we share expertise and deliver a coherent and cohesive approach to regulation.”
Joint Statement on Protecting Children
The DPC and Coimisiún na Meán have also published a joint statement on “Advancing the safety of children and the protection of their personal data online” today. This statement demonstrates a shared commitment to ensuring that the rights and best interests of children are respected and upheld by the online services that both the DPC and Coimisiún na Meán regulate.
While striking the balance between data protection and online safety may present challenges, data protection-by-design and safety-by-design are compatible. The DPC and Coimisiún na Meán are determined to work collaboratively to ensure that children are afforded the higher standards of protections that they deserve.
The DPC’s Commissioners further commented that:
“Children merit specific protection in all facets of life, and the online world is no exception. Protecting children online means ensuring that their personal data is used safely, responsibly and always in their best interests. The DPC is committed to working alongside Coimisiún na Meán to uphold robust standards that safeguard children’s rights in the digital environment, where data protection and online safety are built in from the start.”
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Note to Editors:
The Data Protection Commission and Coimisiún na Meán are both part of the Irish Digital Regulators Group. The group recently published the ‘Short Guide to Digital Regulation’.
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Kind Regards,
The Communications Team
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Foireann cumarsáide
Communications team
http://www.dataprotection.ie
An Coimisiún um Chosaint Sonraí
6 Rae Pheambróg, BÁC 2,
D02 X963, Éire
Data Protection Commission
6 Pembroke Row, Dublin 2,
D02 X963, Ireland