General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Privacy Notices
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From: Department of Education
- Published on: 8 October 2019
- Last updated on: 4 April 2025
- Leaving Certificate 2021
- School staff and retired staff
- Leaving Certificate 2020
- Junior Cycle Certificate of Completion 2020
- Parents and children, including pre-school, primary and post-primary students
- Third level, further education and training
- Other data subjects - for example members of appeals committees, suppliers
- Education and Training Boards (ETBs)
- Internal and External competitions.
- Related
This page contains the privacy notices of the Department of Education. It will be updated from time to time. If you have a query in respect of a privacy notice please e-mail dpo@education.gov.ie
Privacy notices with respect to specific processing activities undertaken by the department which involve the personal data of the following data subjects, this will be updated from time-to-time.
Leaving Certificate 2021
Following an announcement by the Minister for Education on 17 February 2021, all 2021 Leaving Certificate examinations candidates may opt to take Leaving Certificate examinations, (including written examinations and related additional components in each subject as appropriate) and/or to opt to apply for SEC Accredited Grades.
The Minister of Education is bringing forward legislative amendments (to the Education Act, 1998) that will allow the State Examinations Commission (SEC) to administer the Accredited Grades Scheme for Leaving Certificate 2021. The planning for and early stages of implementation of the system of Accredited Grades will be managed by the Department of Education.
See Privacy Notice below:
School staff and retired staff
Leaving Certificate 2020
The Minister for Education and Skills announced on 08 May 2020 that the Leaving Certificate 2020 examinations have been postponed and that the Calculated Grades model would be established in order to allow Leaving Certificate students to receive State certification for their learning achievements and to progress to third-level education or to the world of work in Autumn 2020. The Department of Education and Skills requires the personal data of students in order for calculated grades to be provided. Some personal data provided by students will be forwarded to their school to allow the process to begin.
See Privacy Notice below:
As set out in the privacy notice, data protection legislation allows for restrictions to be placed on access to certain types of personal data including the results of examinations. Requests for access to the school’s estimated percentage mark and rank order will not be active until the date of issue of the results. After the results are issued by the Department, you will be able to access this information. However it is the Department’s intention to provide the school data to students once final grades have been issued so you will not have to actually seek the data.
Junior Cycle Certificate of Completion 2020
The former Minister for Education and Skills announced revised arrangements for the Junior Cycle in the academic year 2019/20 on 29 April 2020. Further information on this announcement can be found here.
Under the revised arrangements and in light of the exceptional circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were asked, as soon as possible after the end of the 2019/20 school year, to furnish students with a written school report on learning achievements in each subject, short course and/or priority learning unit.
The work and achievement of students in their third year of Junior Cycle in the academic year 2019/20 will be recognised with a state certificate of completion from the Department of Education. Work is ongoing in the development of this certificate and further information will issue to all schools once finalised.
Eligibility requirements
The Department of Education is aware that SOLAS eligibility arrangements for applicants for apprenticeships require a 2020 State Certificate to accompany the applicant’s School Report to satisfy the minimum apprenticeship entry requirements.
The Department is aware of other circumstances in which a Certificate may also be required.
As an interim measure, for eligibility purposes, and pending issue of the State Certificate of Completion, the Department will provide on request a letter of confirmation to those who are due to receive the State Certificate of Completion.
Those who require such a letter should contact the Curriculum and Assessment Policy unit at
Parents and children, including pre-school, primary and post-primary students
Third level, further education and training
Other data subjects - for example members of appeals committees, suppliers
Education and Training Boards (ETBs)
Internal and External competitions.