Fleur O’Shea is a Deputy Commissioner and Head of Legal Affairs with the Data Protection Commission. In that role, Fleur manages the DPC’s Legal Unit, which is responsible for the provision of legal advice to the DPC to support the execution of the DPC’s functions.  The Legal Unit provides advice directly to the DPC’s functional units across a broad range of disciplines, including statutory interpretation pursuant to Irish and EU law and the requirements of a fair procedure pursuant to Irish and EU law.  It also provides advice and support to the DPC on internal governance matters, including compliance with the DPC’s obligations as a statutory body.

Having qualified as a solicitor in 2010, Fleur worked in private practice, as part of a large Irish law firm, until she joined the DPC in January 2019.  While in private practice, Fleur specialised in the area of employment and equality law and, through that medium, developed particular expertise and experience in data protection law.  During that time, Fleur advised a wide range of public and private sector entities in relation to all aspects of data protection law in the context of the workplace.  Since joining the DPC, Fleur has provided extensive legal advice in relation to all aspects of the cooperation and consistency mechanisms set out in Chapter VII of the GDPR as well as the fining regime established by Article 83 GDPR.