Privacy Statement

Galway County Council is the local authority responsible for the administration and development of County Galway, the second-largest county in Ireland, covering approximately 6,149 square kilometres. With a rich cultural heritage, a vibrant Gaeltacht community - home to over 51% of Ireland’s Gaeltacht population - and four inhabited islands, the County is a unique and diverse region.

We are committed to delivering high-quality public services that support the economic, social, cultural, and environmental development of the County. Our vision is to foster a County with a strong sense of identity, where heritage, language, and culture are celebrated, economic opportunities are promoted, communities are supported, and the environment is protected.

Our Role and Services

Galway County Council provides a wide range of services under the following key areas:

• Housing and Building
• Roads, Transportation and Safety
• Water and Wastewater Services
• Planning and Development
• Environmental Protection
• Recreation and Amenity
• Community, Health, Education and Welfare
• Other Public Services

To deliver these services effectively and efficiently, we work in partnership with national, regional, and local organisations, community groups, and development agencies.

Why We Collect Your Information

To provide tailored, effective, and legally compliant services to individuals, communities, and businesses, Galway County Council must collect, process, and store certain types of information. This may include personal data as defined under the Data Protection Acts and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Depending on the service, we may collect data from:

• Current, past, or prospective service users
• Employees and job applicants
• Suppliers and contractors
• Members of the public who engage with us

In some cases, we are also legally required to collect and process personal data to meet regulatory obligations.

Why We Have a Privacy Statement

Galway County Council is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. In the course of delivering our services and fulfilling our statutory functions, we are required to collect and process significant amounts of personal data. This Privacy Statement explains how we handle that data in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988–2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).

We want to ensure that everyone who interacts with us understands:

• What personal data we collect
• Why we collect it
• How we use it
• How we keep it safe
• What your rights are under data protection law

This statement reflects our commitment to transparency and accountability in how we manage personal data. It is designed to give you confidence that your information is handled lawfully, fairly, and securely.

Our Commitment to You

Galway County Council processes personal data in a way that ensures:

• It is collected lawfully, fairly, and transparently
• It is used only for specific, explicit, and legitimate purposes
• It is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary
• It is accurate and kept up to date where necessary
• It is stored securely and protected against unauthorised access or disclosure
• It is retained only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected
• It is processed in a way that ensures appropriate security, including protection against unlawful or accidental loss, destruction, or damage

Our Data Protection Officer (DPO)

Galway County Council has appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to ensure we meet our obligations under the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. The DPO acts independently and reports directly to senior management.

What the DPO Does:

• Advises the Council and its staff on data protection responsibilities.
• Monitors compliance with data protection laws and internal policies.
• Provides training and raises awareness among staff.
• Conducts audits to ensure data is handled properly.
• Reviews and advises on Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
• Acts as a contact point for the Data Protection Commission.
• Supports individuals (like you) with questions or concerns about how their data is used.

Raising a Concern or Making a Complaint

We are committed to protecting your personal data and handling it responsibly. If you have any concerns about how your data is being used, we encourage you to contact us.

How to Raise a Concern

Contact our DPO using the details below. We will listen to your concern and aim to resolve it quickly and fairly. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can escalate your complaint to the Data Protection Commission.

Data Protection Policy

Galway County Council has adopted a comprehensive Data Protection Policy. This policy outlines in greater detail how we manage personal data and comply with our legal obligations as a public authority. Each business unit/department within Galway County Council publishes a Privacy Notice relating to the data they collect.

What Personal Data Do We Collect?

To provide services effectively and meet our legal obligations, Galway County Council may need to collect and process various types of personal data. The specific data we collect depends on the service you are accessing or the nature of your interaction with us.

Categories of Personal Data We May Collect

1. Contact Information: This includes your name, address, phone number, and email address. Providing multiple contact methods helps us communicate with you more efficiently, but you are not required to provide all of them.
2. Personal Circumstances: When applying for certain services, you may be asked to provide personal details about yourself and your household. This information helps us assess your eligibility and deliver the appropriate support. Each service area will provide a specific privacy notice outlining the data required and why.
3. Financial Information: Some services require financial details, such as income or banking information, to determine eligibility or process payments. These details are only collected when necessary and are handled with strict confidentiality.

Service-Specific Privacy Policies

Each department or service unit within Galway County Council provides its own detailed privacy policy. These notices explain:

• The purpose for collecting your personal data
• The legal basis for processing it
• Any third parties with whom your data may be shared
• How your data is stored and protected
• The retention period for your data and what happens after that period ends

These notices ensure transparency and help you understand how your data is used in the context of each specific service.

Records Management and Data Retention

Galway County Council is committed to managing personal data responsibly and in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law.

How We Manage Your Data

Each department within Galway County Council follows a detailed Records Retention Schedule, which outlines:

• The types of records held
• The duration for which each type of record is retained
• The legal or operational basis for retention
• The procedures for secure disposal of data once the retention period has expired

This ensures that personal data is not kept longer than necessary and is disposed of in a secure and confidential manner.

Retention Periods

Retention periods vary depending on the nature of the service and the type of data involved. For example:

• Data related to housing applications may be retained for a different period than data related to planning permissions or environmental complaints.
• Some records may be retained for historical or archival purposes in the public interest, in accordance with national guidelines.

If you would like more information about how long your personal data is retained for a specific service, please refer to the relevant service-specific privacy policy or contact the Council’s Data Protection Officer.

Your Rights Under GDPR

As a data subject, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

1. Right to Be Informed You have the right to be informed about how your personal data is collected, used, stored, and shared. This Privacy Statement and service-specific privacy notices are part of fulfilling that right.
2. Right of Access You can request a copy of any personal data Galway County Council holds about you, along with information about how it is being processed.
3. Right to Rectification If your personal data is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request that it be corrected or updated.
4. Right to Erasure (Right to Be Forgotten) In certain circumstances, you may request that your personal data be deleted, for example, if it is no longer needed for the purpose it was collected.
5. Right to Restrict Processing You can request that the processing of your personal data be restricted in specific situations, such as when you contest its accuracy or object to its use.
6. Right to Data Portability Where applicable, you have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to have it transferred to another data controller.
7. Right to Object You can object to the processing of your personal data in certain cases, such as for direct marketing or where processing is based on public interest or legitimate interests.
8. Rights in Relation to Automated Decision-Making and Profiling You have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, unless certain conditions are met.