Data Protection Law in Ireland

The privacy of both natural persons and legal entities in Ireland is a matter which is regulated under the provisions of the Data Protection Law. Such regulations are taking into consideration the modern means of communication and the applicable Acts available in this sense have been amended several times, in order to comply with the current requirements. Our team of Irish lawyers can offer an in-depth presentation on the legal rights and obligations deriving from this legislation. 

 

 

The main rule of law which refers to the protection of data is the Data Protection Act 1988, which was amended in 2003, under the legislation of the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003. The latest version of the Act included the provisions applicable by the European Union, under the EU Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, on which our law firm in Ireland can offer legal advice. 

 

Further on, the Irish legislation on this matter provides numerous other secondary Acts referring to various areas defining the protection of data. 

 

In a modern world, in which most of the legal entities and natural persons are using various means of communication, there was also a need to provide a legal framework regulating the protection of the users. In this sense, Ireland applies the ePrivacy Regulations 2011, created to establish provisions for the usage of mobile phones, e-mail, messages and internet, which transposed the EU ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC.

 

 

The Data Protection Act in Ireland is applicable to various types of entities which are allowed to collect data from their users. Such entities can include data controllers and data processers. However, under the provisions of the Act, employers are not seen as data processers. 

 

The Act provides the manner in which personal data (or other types of information) may be stored, obtained or disclosed by such entities. 

 

It is important to know that the Act is applicable only to data controllers who are registered in Ireland, to persons who are residing in this country, as well as to international companies who have opened a branch office here. 

 

Please contact our team of attorneys in Ireland for more details on the Data Protection Act.