Privacy Policy

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Privacy Statement

The Archbishop of Dublin

The Archbishop of Dublin (“Archbishop”) is the head of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin (“Archdiocese”) which is a registered charity – Diocese RCN: 20002022, Diocese Revenue Number: CHY1333 – with its offices at Archbishop’s House, Drumcondra Road Lower, Dublin 9, D09H4C2.  The Archbishop has published this Privacy Statement to demonstrate his commitment to protecting and respecting your personal data.

The Archbishop fully respects your right to privacy and actively seeks to preserve the privacy rights of those who share information with him and the diocesan offices acting on his behalf. Any personal information you provide to the Archbishop will be treated with the highest standards of security and confidentiality, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This Privacy Statement explains how the Archbishop (and the diocesan offices on his behalf) processes information, in particular the personal data that he receives from you. Please read the following carefully to understand his views and practices regarding your personal data and how he treats it.

  • Baptism Registers

The Archbishop is the sole controller of the personal data and special category data contained in the Baptism Registers held in Parishes of the Archdiocese with respect to storage and retention of data, standard and special annotation of data and alteration of data. The Archbishop, along with the Parish Priest/Administrator/Moderator assigned to the Parish which holds the Baptism Register, are each a joint controller of the personal data and special category data with respect to collecting and recording of data in the Baptism Register.

What information does the Archbishop collect about you?

The Archbishop receives personal data about you in various ways including directly from the individual and sometimes from a parish, a family member, other diocese, schools, employers, revenue, medical professionals, CCTV and webcams.  The personal data that is collected may include;

  • Information relating to the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage and Ordinations;
  • Information relating to financial donations (requirements of the Charities Acts and also to assist parishes claim tax back on donations);
  • Safeguarding information as required by the National Safeguarding Office and the Garda Vetting Bureau;
  • Depending on your relationship with the Archbishop and the diocesan office on his behalf, he may also collect a range of different information about you including your name, contact details, date of birth, nationality, PPS number (where required by law), financial information (such as bank details), employment data and qualifications, information about your current involvement with the diocese, information on volunteer, CCTV recordings and photographs;
  • Special category data which reveals your religious beliefs may also be collected and processed.

This list is not exhaustive.

Processing of personal information

The Archbishop collects and processes information about you in a number of ways including face to face meetings, email, phone conversations, from parishes and via forms sent by the diocesan offices.

The Archbishop must have a lawful basis for processing your information.  This will vary according to the circumstances of how and why he has your information but typical examples include:

  • The activities are within his legitimate interests in advancing and maintaining the Roman Catholic religion, in providing information about the activities of the Diocese or any Diocesan Parish, and to raise charitable funds;
  • You have given consent for him to process your information which can be withdrawn at any time by contacting the Archdiocese using the details below;
  • He is carrying out necessary steps in relation to a contract to which you are party to or prior to you entering a contract;
  • The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation;
  • The processing is necessary for carrying out a task in the public interest;
  • The processing of data is necessary to protect your vital interest.

If he processes any Special Categories of Personal Data, he must have a further lawful basis for the processing.  This may include:

  • Where you have given explicit consent;
  • Where the processing is necessary to protect the vital interest or someone else’s vital interests;
  • Where the processing is carried out in the course of his legitimate interests as head of a Roman Catholic diocese working with and supporting the current and former members of the Roman Catholic Church and the information is not shared outside the Roman Catholic Church with anyone else without your consent;
  • You have made the information public;
  • Where the processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims; or
  • Where the processing is necessary for carrying out the Archdiocese’s employment and social security obligations.

Baptism Registers held in Parishes of the Archdiocese

Where personal data and special category data is processed in the Baptism Registers held in Parishes of the Archdiocese, the Archbishop relies on the legitimate interests in preserving the information contained in Baptism Registers because such registers consist of a record of the administration of certain sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. It is essential that the Archbishop maintains a record of certain sacraments which may only be administered once in the Roman Catholic Church. As personal data contained in the Baptism Registers is special category personal data, the Archbishop must have an additional lawful basis for processing. The Archbishop relies on processing carried out in the course of his legitimate activities with appropriate safeguards and the processing relates solely to members or former members of the Roman Catholic Church, and personal data is not disclosed outside the Roman Catholic Church without the consent of the member/former member concerned.

What does the Archbishop use your information for?

We use your information for a range of different purposes including;

  • To facilitate the reception of the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Marriage and Ordinations;
  • To general pastoral and spiritual care;
  • To provide information you request from the Archdiocese;
  • To process various application forms;
  • For Tax on Donations requests;
  • Communicating with you about diocesan events
  • Dealing with complaints and enquiries
  • To administer, support, improve and develop the administration of the Diocese’s work and operations and to keep the Diocese’s accounts and records up to date;
  • For auditing and statistical purposes;
  • As authorised or required by any law applicable to us or arising from your interaction with us;
  • To process job applications;
  • Technical details in connection with visits to this website may be logged on the Archdiocesan server;
  • CCTV recordings for security purposes and to help create a safer environment for our staff, members of the faithful, clergy, volunteers and visitors.

The Archbishop does not use automatic decision making software and does not engage in profiling.

Who does the Archbishop share your information with?

The information you give us is used by the Archbishop only in accordance with the purpose for which you provided the information.  This information will only be retained for as long as required for the purpose for which it was gathered.

He may share your information with government bodies for tax relief purposes or law enforcement agencies for the prevention and detection of crime.

Information will only be made available to third parties who assist the Archdiocese with our work.  The Archbishop may share information with service providers but only when an appropriate Service Provider Agreement/contract is in place outlining exactly what they are permitted to do.  Any data processed in the course of such services is processed in compliance with the GDPR.

Where permitted by law, the Archbishop reserves the right to release personal data without your consent and/or without consulting you, including when he believe that this is appropriate to comply with his legal obligations.

Where does the Archbishop store your information?

He may store your information in hard copy or in electronic format, in storage facilities he owns and are operated by the Archdiocese, or that are owned and operated by his service providers.

How long does the Archbishop retain your information?

He retains your personal information for as long as necessary with regard to the purposes for which it was collected or lawfully further processed, or for so long as may be necessary in light of our legal obligations.  All information held is in accordance with the diocesan retention policy to ensure its compliance with GDPR.

In relation to the Baptism Registers held in the Parishes of the Archdiocese, personal data and special category data are retained in perpetuity, in order to achieve the purpose of correctly administering certain sacraments that may only be undertaken once in a person’s lifetime.

How does the Archbishop keep your information safe and accurate?

The Archbishop is committed to ensuring your information is secure.  In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure the Archbishop and the diocesan offices on his behalf have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure your information.  The Archbishop uses technical and organisational security measures to protect your data from accidental or intentional manipulation, loss, destruction or access by unauthorised persons.  These security measures are continuously adapted in line with technological developments.

The Archbishop seeks to ensure that he keeps your personal data accurate and up to date.  However, you are responsible for informing the Archbishop, or the diocesan offices on his behalf, of any changes to your personal data and other information.

Baptism Registers are annotated upon administration of the Sacraments of Confirmation, Marriage or Holy Orders to an individual. Where an individual receives any of these sacraments, a note will be made in the Baptism Register entry for that individual. Annotations are necessary as it ensures the sacraments of Confirmation, Marriage or Ordination may only be undertaken once during a person’s lifetime.

No personally identifiable information is collected on this website from visitors, staff, clergy and volunteers that browse the website for information on our activities.  The Archbishop, or the diocesan office on his behalf review these measures regularly.

Unfortunately the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure.  Although the Archbishop does his best to protect your personal data, any transmission via our website is ultimately at your own risk.  Once he has received your information he will use strict procedures and security features to try and prevent unauthorised access to, or unlawful processing or disclosure of, such data.

On written request the Archbishop, or the diocesan office on his behalf, will inform you about the data stored about you.  Requests for access, rectification, erasure or blocking of personal data will be processed on the basis of applicable legal provisions.  Please contact the Data Protection Officer, 204 Clonliffe Road, Dublin 3, D03 PD86 or email dataprotection@dublindiocese.ie.

What are your rights?

You have many rights under Irish Data Protection legislation with regard to the processing of your data.

Right of Access – You have the right to access information the Archbishop holds on you.

Right of Correction – you have the right to have any inaccurate or incomplete data rectified by the Archbishop.

Right of Erasure – In certain circumstance you can request the erasure of the data the Archbishop holds on you i.e. the right to be forgotten.

Right to Restriction of Processing – Where certain conditions apply, you have the right to restrict processing of your personal data.

Right of Portability – Subject to certain circumstances, you have the right to have any data the Archbishop holds on you transferred to another organisation where it is held in electronic form.

Right to Object – You have the right to object to certain types of data processing.

The Right to Lodge a Complaint with the Data Protection Commission.

Review

This Privacy Statement explains the privacy policy of the Archbishop, as head of the Archdiocese.  The Archbishop reserves the right to review and amend this Statement at any time without notice and you should check this page regularly to view the most up to date Privacy Statement.

Further Information and Contact Details

Further information on your data privacy rights is available on the website of the Data Protection Commissioner www.dataprotection.ie

If you have any questions relating to the processing of personal data please email dataprotection@dublindiocese.ie or contact the Data Protection Officer, 204 Clonliffe Road, Dublin 3, D03PD86.

Dated: 24 March 2023