Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said there was 'a need to grapple with the question of what data we will permit gardaí to access'. File photograph: Enda O'DowdApple sought a meeting with the Department of Justice after comments by Minister Jim O’Callaghan on data privacy and security caused “alarm” among “the most senior leadership” of the tech giant. Minutes of the meeting, seen by The Irish Times, confirm representatives from Apple met department officials last September. Apple officials were “keen to meet in advance of public consultation on the issues”, records, released via a Freedom of Information request, show. Representatives said Apple “does not focus on collecting data to monetise it later” and “has a history of advocating for the privacy and security of user data”.

Source: The Irish Times March 07, 2026 09:48 UTC