There’s a lot of frustration and cynicism in this thread, but I suspect some misunderstandings might be fuelling it. First off, Ireland is part of the EU, and under GDPR’s 'one-stop-shop' system, the country where a company has its EU headquarters in Ireland, in the case of many tech giants it takes the lead on enforcement for the entire EU. So when Ireland’s regulator fines a company under GDPR, they’re essentially doing it on behalf of the whole EU, it’s not just Ireland acting alone.
GDPR fines can be very significant, the rules allow penalties either as a percentage of a company’s global revenue or as a large fixed amount whichever is higher. This ensures even the biggest companies feel the impact. Plus, these fines are public and transparent. Every big fine is announced and reported, which means there’s a reputational hit alongside the financial one. That publicity is intentional: it adds pressure on companies to improve, making the fines a real deterrent rather than just a quiet cost of doing business.
It’s also worth clarifying where the fine money goes. It doesn’t just line Ireland’s pockets. In practice, the money goes into the EU budget. If Ireland collects a hefty fine, that amount is basically offset against what Ireland would normally contribute to the EU budget. If people in other EU countries were affected by the violation, those countries can request a portion of the fine as well. In short, Ireland isn’t profiting solo from these fines, it’s just the point of collection because that’s where the companies are based.
Interestingly, some comments here call the fines 'insane' (too harsh) while others say they’re 'a slap on the wrist' (too lenient). That contradiction highlights the misconceptions around GDPR fines. In reality, these penalties are meant to be serious enough to matter, but proportionate to a company’s size and the offence. They’re not intended to destroy a business, but they’re definitely not nothing either, they serve as a real consequence to encourage companies to respect people’s privacy.