Housing Data Privacy Statement

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Who we are and why do we require your information?

Galway County Council seeks to promote the economic, social and cultural development of County Galway and in doing so contribute significantly to improving the quality of life of the people of County Galway.

The delivery of high quality services, tailored to meet the needs of all our customers, remains one of Galway County Council’s core objectives and is included in our Corporate Plan. This quality service includes not only the level and quality of service given to our customers, but also the quality of our decision-making processes, the efficiency and effectiveness of our corporate operations, standard of our facilities and our ability to adapt in an ever-changing environment.

In order to provide the most effective and targeted range of services to meet the needs of the citizens, communities and businesses of  County Galway  we will be required to collect, process and use certain types of information about people and organisations. Depending on the service being sought or provided the information sought may include ‘personal data’ as defined by the Data Protection Acts and by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and may relate to current, past and future service users; past; current and prospective employees; suppliers; and members of the public who may engage in communications with our staff. In addition, staff may be required, from time to time, to collect, process and use certain types of personal data to comply with regulatory or legislative requirements.  It is your responsibility to notify this council if there is any change in your circumstance or change in your personal information.

Why do we have a privacy statement?

Galway County Council has created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate our firm commitment to privacy and to assure you that in all your dealings with Galway County Council that we will ensure the security of the data you provide to us.

Galway County Council creates, collects and processes a significant amount of personal data in various multiple formats on a daily basis. Galway County Council’s commitment to you is that the personal data you may be required to supply to us is;

• Obtained lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner
• Obtained for only specified, explicit and legitimate purposes
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for purpose for which it was obtained
• Recorded, stored accurately and securely and where necessary kept up to date
• Kept only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was obtained.
• Kept in a form which permits identification of the data subject
• Processed only in a manner that ensures the appropriate security of the personal data including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing.

Data protection Policy

Galway County Council has a detailed Data Protection Policy which goes into more detail on how we as a public body are committed to ensuring the security of any personal data you provide to us. This policy can be accessed on our website at:

Data Protection Policy

What personal data do we need?

The types of personal data you may be asked to supply can be categorised as follows,

• Contact details to allow for efficient communication
• Details of your personal circumstances which you are required by law to supply as part of your application for a service offered by Galway County Council
• Your own financial details which you are required by law to supply as part of your application for a service offered by Galway County Council

Depending on the service being accessed, all applicants for Housing Services may be required to provide information on the following categories of data (where they are applicable); for all household members-

• Personal Details i.e. Name, Address, previous address& nature of tenure,  Date of Birth, PPSN, Phone Number, Identification Number/Reference, Email Address
• Nationality Details and proof of same.
• Marital Details
• Employment Details
• Details and Proof of all household income.
• Household Composition
• Medical Details
• Details of Disability if applicable
• Basis for Application
• Current Accommodation Details
• Accommodation History Details
• Other Property/Land Information
• Public Order Offence and Other Information
• Housing Requirements
• Areas of Choice
• Other Information
• Bank , Building Society, Credit Union, Post Office Account details.
• Revenue Details

Sharing Information

The Council may share your information internally (within the Council) in accordance with statutory obligations. In addition, the Council may share your information with third parties in accordance with statutory and regulatory obligations. 

The staff of the Housing Section may share your information with the following bodies to assist and enable provision of the services requested:

• Another Housing Authority
• Approved Housing Bodies
• Statutory and Voluntary Bodies
• The Criminal Assets Bureau
• An Garda Síochána
• General Practitioners / Consultants
• The Health Service Executive [HSE]
• Department of Social Protection
• Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government
• Department of Justice

(The council will ensure that a data processing/sharing agreement is in place with these organisations)

Contact Details

In order to communicate with you, the Council will ask you to provide your contact details to include a minimum of one means of making written contact. You do not have to provide all contact details but providing more, such as email, phone, address, makes it easier to communicate.

Details of Personal Circumstances

If you wish to apply for a particular service from the local authority you will be asked for a varying amount of personal details specific to you and your family, in order to support your application. Galway County Council will set out the information we require in a series of separate and distinct application forms relevant to each service.

Financial Details

If you wish to apply for a particular service from the local authority you may be asked for a varying amount of personal financial details specific to you and your family, in order to support your application. Galway County Council will set out the information we require in a series of separate and distinct application forms relevant to each service. As is the case with the other personal data outlined above the specific service/section of Galway County Council will address the necessity for the financial details as part of their specific privacy notice.

Data Retention

Galway County Council will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary. The specific department within our Housing Unit holding your personal data, will provide more detail to you about how long your data is held.

Your Data Protection Rights

You have the right to request access to personal data held about you, obtain confirmation as to whether data concerning you exists, be informed of the content and source of data and check its accuracy. In addition, if the data held by us is found to be inaccurateyou have the right to change, remove, block, or object to the use of, personal data held by Galway County Council. In certain circumstances blocking access to data may delay or remove access to a service where the data is required by law or for essential purposes related to delivery of a service to you. Please note that to help protect your privacy, we take steps to verify your identity before granting access to personal data. To exercise these rights you should take the following steps:

Make an application outlining the detail of your request to:-

The Data Protection Officer

Galway County Council
Áras an Chontae
Prospect Hill
Galway H91H6KX
E-mail:-   dpo@galwaycoco.ie
Phone:  091 509290

Right of Compliant to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the response you received from Galway County Council in relation to your request, then you are entitled to make a complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner who may investigate the matter for you.

The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner’s website is www.dataprotection.ie or you can contact their Office at:

Lo Call Number: 1890 252 231
E-mail:                info@dataprotection.ie
Postal Address: Office of the Data Protection Commissioner
Canal House
Station Road
Portarlington
Co. Laois. R32 AP23.