Helen Dixon

Ms Dixon was appointed to the role in September 2014 — nearly four years before the role was transformed by the GDPR — and will depart on 19 February 2024, she confirmed in a rare LinkedIn post.

“I look back with great satisfaction at what the Data Protection Commission has achieved over the last nine-and-a-half years,” she wrote.

“I have had the opportunity to transform the DPC from a small regionally-based office of 27 staff into an independent regulatory body today with over 215 committed experts, headquartered in Dublin, and internationally recognised for the quality of its staff and work.”

Ms Dixon continued: “I believe Ireland has much to be proud of in terms of its data protection regime including the consistent support by government since my appointment in 2014 with budgetary increases to facilitate necessary capacity and capability improvements at the DPC.

“The full implementation of the GDPR will remain a work-in-progress across the EU and, as the larger-scale enforcement cases now conclude, we see in Ireland and beyond, that these decisions are often subject to judicial challenge. It will take a further number of years to bottom-out definitive interpretations of applications of this principles-based law but the groundwork is now well laid.

“The DPC is of course a critical element of EU machinery aimed at protecting rights and I wish my EU counterparts and colleagues at the EU Commission ‘bon courage’ in their continued endeavours.”

Following her departure from the DPC, Ms Dixon will take up a role with the Commission of Communications Regulation (ComReg).

In a statement, justice minister Helen McEntee paid tribute to Ms Dixon’s “dedication, strength and vision”.

Mrs McEntee continued: “Ireland has much to be proud of terms of our leadership in a challenging and rapidly evolving digital data protection landscape across Europe, under Helen’s expert stewardship.

“In recognition of the important role played by the DPC, my Department has sought to ensure that the Commission continues to have the resources required to fulfil its important, statutory obligations. To that end, Departmental funding to the Data Protection Commission has risen steadily and consistently over recent years.

“With Helen’s second term of office due to end in 2024, I am delighted that our public service will continue to benefit from her experience, expertise and leadership following her departure from the DPC in February next year.

“I would like to wish Helen well in her new role as commissioner to the Commission of Communications Regulation.”