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Data subjects' rights - how to apply
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Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have a right to obtain a copy of any personal information relating to you.
To make an access request you should contact us at subjectaccessrequest@education.gov.ie or write to us at Information Access, Department of Education, Block 2, Marlborough Street, Dublin 2.
Please tell us exactly what information you are seeking to access. To assist you and to guide us, please complete and forward the Department’s Subject Access Request (SAR) application form below.
Subject Access Request (SAR) application form
Request for Access to Personal Data under the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018
DownloadYou may be asked to provide proof of identity as outlined below in order for us to process your request.
We will respond to your data access request within one month. Usually we will send you our response by email or by post.
A copy of photographic identification, such as a passport or driver’s licence, and a copy of a recent utility bill or official letter, may be required. This is because we must be satisfied of your identity before releasing any personal information to you. You can e-mail or post copies of your photographic identification and utility bill to us. We will only be able to start processing your request once we receive this information.
In some instances, your right to access your personal information is limited by the acts. For example:
- If the information is kept for the purpose of preventing, detecting or investigating criminal offences, where allowing the right of access would be likely to impede such activities.
- If the information would be subject to legal professional privilege in court.
- If the information consists of an opinion about you given in confidence by another person (subject to certain conditions).
The Department of Education does not have to comply with your access request if it would result in disclosing data about another person, unless that other person has consented to the disclosure. So, if we have a record that contains your personal data as well as another person’s data, unless we have permission from the other person, we may be limited in what data we can give you. We will give you as much of the information as we can, without identifying the other person.
The Data Protection Commission held a public consultation on the issue of how best exercise children’s rights under GDPR while balancing them against other rights, including those of parents/guardians. It is expected that they will issue clear guidance on these matters in the future but until that point the Department will ensure that:
- The rights of children are protected
- Personal data is only revealed to those who have a right to it (particularly where a child may have engaged in services involving confidentiality), and
- People making requests have confirmed their identity.
Until the guidance is received from the Data Protection Commission, the Department will adopt the following approach when subject access requests are received in relation to children’s’ data:
- Primary school children - parents can request data without the consent of a child.
- Junior Cycle - parent with child's consent can apply and receive data
- Senior Cycle - Children should apply themselves
Further information on your rights can be found on the Data Protection Commissioner’s website (www.dataprotection.ie). The website also includes contact information for the Data Protection Commissioner and explains how to submit a complaint, if you are not satisfied with our response to your request.
Data Protection Officer –Department of Education
Address:
Data Protection Unit, Department of Education
, Cornamaddy
, Athlone, County Westmeath
, N35 X659
Email:
Phone number:
