Data Protection Privacy Notice

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is a government office that delivers public services for flood protection, managing government properties and heritage services.

The OPW, as the leading agency for flood risk management in Ireland, minimises the impacts of flooding through sustainable planning. A core part of its remit is maintaining and presenting Ireland’s most iconic heritage properties, including Ireland’s two World Heritage Sites, 780 National Monuments and over 2,000 acres of gardens and parklands. It also manages a significant part of the State’s property portfolio and provides accommodation for government departments, over 700 Garda Properties and approximately 550 offices.

The OPW was established in 1831, predating the foundation of the State. Its headquarters are in Trim, Co Meath.

It is overseen by the Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief.

When you correspond with us

We will process your data when you provide it to us for example during the course of making enquiries, complaints, applications or submissions during a public consultation.

Types of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number, PPS number, date of birth, photo identification, bank details, health data.

The legal basis to process data for these purposes will be in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.

We may need to share your data with relevant third parties such as government departments and agencies and organisations as necessary in order to respond to your correspondence or to make a decision about your application.

When someone corresponds with us on your behalf

We will process your data when another person corresponds with us on your behalf for instance in the case of a Ministerial Representation or in the course of a legal claim.

Types of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number, PPS number, date of birth, photo identification, bank details, health data.

The legal basis to process data for these purposes will be in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.

We may need to share your data with relevant third parties such as government departments and agencies in order to respond to the correspondence.

When you apply to the Office of Public Works

We will process your data, in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service where applicable, from application to appointment stage to process pay, pension and employment matters.

Types of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number, PPS number, nationality, date of birth, gender, photo identification, bank details, academic qualifications, health data, service number.

The legal basis to process data for these purposes will be consent during the application stage and later for the performance of a contract or for compliance with a legal obligation.

We may need to share your data with relevant third parties such as other government departments and agencies in order to process pay, pension and employment matters.

When our property is used

From time to time, our property and/or equipment is used for purposes such as grazing, land lettings, events, access arrangements and as a residence.

Categories of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number, herd number, property folio number, insurance details, marital status, bank details.

The legal basis to process data for these purposes, depending on the purpose for processing, will be in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority, to comply with a legal obligation or for the performance of a contract.

If data required to fulfil a contract or pre-contract is not provided it may not be possible to finalise the contract.

We may need to share data with relevant third parties such as other government departments and agencies and private-sector organisations in order to manage property usage.

When you make a protected disclosure to us

If you make a protected disclosure to us, the data may be used to carry out an investigation under the Protected Disclosures Act (2014).

Categories of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number, health data.

The legal basis to process data for this purpose will be in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.

We may need to share data, in accordance with the provisions of the 2014 Act, with relevant third parties such as other government departments, agencies or bodies and An Garda Siochána in order to investigate the matter.

When you enter into a contract or during the pre-contract phase with us to provide goods or services

Your data will be processed during the pre-contract phase and during the contract in order to contact you, complete required documentation and arrange payment.

Categories of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number, VAT number, nationality, insurance details, bank details.

The legal basis to process your data will be for the performance of a contract or for compliance with a legal obligation.

If data required to fulfil a contract or pre-contract is not provided it may not be possible to finalise the contract.

We may need to share data with relevant third parties such as other government departments and agencies in order to manage the contract, for public accountability measures and to ensure compliance with any statutory obligations concerning the contract.

When you attend certain events

During the course of certain events both organised by us and other organisations your data may be processed. For example, some events require booking either through a third-party platform such as Evenbrite or directly with an OPW heritage site via email or phone.

As event organisers, in the context of our public relations activities or our institutional activities, we may collect personal data for inclusion in contact lists arising from contact with media practitioners (journalists, PR representatives) and at conferences or events – both online and onsite – for the purposes of developing the OPW’s network and for public relations purposes in general.

Categories of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number.

The legal basis to process your data, depending on the purpose, will be the exercise of official authority or consent.

When you visit one of our premises, properties or Heritage Sites

We will process your data for security reasons to arrange your access to our premises or properties. Alternatively, when you visit one of the heritage sites managed by the OPW across Ireland and choose to buy tickets online we will process your data during the online booking process.

Categories of data collected may include: name, address, eircode, email address, telephone number, CCTV footage / image, vehicle details.

The legal basis to process data for these purposes will be in our legitimate interests (site security) or for the performance of a contract (online ticket sales).

We may need to share your data with relevant third parties such as other government departments in order to enable your access to our premises or properties.

When you visit our Websites or Interact with us on Social Media

We may process personal data such as essential cookies in order for any user of our websites, for example www.heritageireland.ie or www.floodinfo.ie, to use the services we provide when requested. We may collect the following information from each user of our websites:

• statistical information (IP address and hostname, web browser version, pages visited etc.)
• the previous website address from which you reached us, including any search terms used

We use this information to analyse the usage patterns of a specific in order to improve the website’s effectiveness. We will neither make attempts to identify individual visitors, nor associate the technical details listed above with any individual.

It is our policy never to disclose such information in respect of individual website visitors to any third party unless explicitly stated (see Google Analytics section below), or obliged to disclose such information by a rule of law.

The lawful basis for this processing is your consent, as set out in our Cookie notice/Privacy Preference Center when you visit our websites.

Clicks on links we provide on our website to social media accounts may be counted in aggregate based on the URL and not on any personally identifiable information. We also process personal data when managing our social media accounts as individuals interact with our pages on those platforms. We view comments/reactions on our accounts, and these are retained by the social media platform in question. This is done in accordance with our social media policy for the purposes of developing the OPW’s network and for public relations purposes in general.

Our lawful basis for processing is that such processing it is in the OPW’s legitimate interest to develop its network.

When you Register as a User of One of Our Online Databases

The OPW hosts a number of online databases to record and monitor various areas in its remit, from water levels across different stations to portals monitoring building energy use or past coastal erosion. Some portals can only be accessed by public sector bodies and designated staff while others are open to the public.

When you register as a user, we will process your personal data during registration to set up your user account. We may contact you to verify submissions made to a database or, after a set period of user inactivity, to advise you of the imminent deactivation of your account.

Categories of data collected may include: name, email address, and organisation.

The legal basis to process data for these purposes will be in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.

In the event that it is necessary for us to transfer data to a third country outside the EU/EEA that does not have an adequacy decision in place, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in undertaking any such transfer.

The length of time we will hold your data depends on the purpose for processing and factors such as:

• statutory requirements
• legal requirements
• contractual requirements

Right of access

You have the right to request a copy of your data and to be informed how the data is used. You can make a Subject Access Request to us by completing the ‘Subject Access Request Form' which is available below.

Right to rectification

You have the right to request that any inaccurate data be corrected and updated. You can contact us about your right to rectification by completing the ‘Data Subject Rights Form’ which is available below.

Right to erasure

You have the right to request erasure of your data. There are certain restrictions on the right to erasure for instance if another legal basis applies to the processing. You can contact us about your right to erasure by completing the ‘Data Subject Rights Form’ which is available below.

Right to restrict processing

You have the right to request restriction of data processing. There are certain conditions applicable to this right. You can contact us about your right to restrict processing by completing the ‘Data Subject Rights Form’ which is available below.

Right to data portability

You have the right to data portability, have data transmitted, if the legal basis used to process the data is done with your consent or as part of a contract. You can contact us about your right to data portability by completing the ‘Data Subject Rights Form’ which is available below.

Right to object

You have the right to object to the processing of your data. There are restrictions to this right, which include where a legal matter is ongoing. You can contact us about your right to object to processing by completing the ‘Data Subject Rights Form’ which is available below.

Right not to be subject to automated processing or profiling

You have the right not to be subject to automated processing or profiling which produce legal effects concerning you. There are restrictions to this right which include processing as part of a contract or where you have given explicit consent. You can contact us about your right not to be subject to automated processing or profiling by completing the ‘Data Subject Rights Form’ which is available below.

Right to withdraw consent

You have the right to withdraw consent to the use of your data where consent was the legal basis to process the data. You can contact us about your right to withdraw consent by emailing us at dpo@opw.ie.

You have the right to request a copy of your personal data processed by the OPW by making a subject access request.

When we receive a request from you in writing, we must give you access to everything we’ve recorded about you as well as details of the processing, the categories of personal data concerned and the recipients of the personal data.

We cannot give you access to a copy of your Personal Data in some limited cases including where this might adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

A subject access request can be made by post or email to:

Data Protection Officer, Office of Public Works, Jonathan Swift Street, Trim, Co. Meath, C15 NX36

or dpo@opw.ie

The request will be commenced when your identity is verified. We will be unable to commence your request if we are not fully satisfied as to your identity. This is to ensure that personal data is not accidentally disclosed to the wrong person.

A Data Subject Rights Request (to exercise your rights stated above other than your right to access to your personal data) should be sent to:

Data Protection Officer, Office of Public Works, Jonathan Swift Street, Trim, Co. Meath, C15 NX36

Or by email to: dpo@opw.ie

The request will be commenced when your identity is verified. We will be unable to commence your request if we are not fully satisfied as to your identity. This is in order to ensure that personal data is not accidentally disclosed to the wrong person.

We are obliged to respond to your request within one calendar month. If, however, we are unable to respond to your request within this period, we may extend for a further two months. We will send you a written explanation of the reasons for any extension.

You have the right to make a complaint to the Data Protection Commission.

Contact details for the Data Protection Commission are as follows:

Data Protection Commission, 6 Pembroke Row, Dublin 2, D02 X963

Web forms are available at: www.dataprotection.ie
Email: info@dataprotection.ie

Telephone: +353 578 684 800 or +353 761 104 800

If you have questions about how we use your personal data or if you wish to access your data you can contact our Data Protection Officer:

Data Protection Office

Address: Office of Public Works, Jonathan Swift Street, Trim, Co. Meath, C15 NX36
Email: dpo@opw.ie
Phone number: +353 (46) 9422000

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time and to ensure compliance with legal requirements.