Contact us or make a data protection complaint
Data protection and your rights
Data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ensure that your personal data is handled securely, fairly, and transparently. This page explains what GDPR is, the principles of data protection, and your rights under GDPR.
What is data protection and GDPR?
Data protection refers to the rules and practices that ensure your personal data is safeguarded from misuse, unauthorized access, or loss.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union law that sets strict rules on how organizations collect, store, and use personal data.
Key GDPR principles
- Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency – data must be processed legally and transparently.
- Purpose limitation – data should only be collected for specific, clear, and lawful reasons.
- Data minimization – only the minimum necessary data should be collected.
- Accuracy – data must be kept accurate and up to date.
- Storage limitation – data should not be kept longer than necessary.
- Integrity and confidentiality – data must be securely processed to prevent unauthorized access or breaches.
For more details, visit the Data Protection Commission website.
Your rights under GDPR
- Right to access – you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification – you can correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure – you can request data deletion in certain circumstances.
- Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how your data is used.
- Right to data portability – you can request a copy of your data in a format that allows transfer to another service.
- Right to object – you can object to the processing of your data for certain reasons.
- Right to withdraw consent – if we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, contact our Data Protection Officer.
How to exercise your rights
Submit a request
Send a written request to our Data Protection Officer, including:
- Your name and contact details
- Details of the right you wish to exercise
- Any relevant information to help us process your request
Verification
We may need to verify your identity before processing your request to ensure data security.
Response
We will respond to your request within one month, in line with GDPR requirements.
For more details, see how to make a subject access request.
How to make a data protection complaint
Submit a complaint in writing
Send your complaint to the Data Protection Officer (DPO) and include:
- Your full name and contact details
- A description of the issue (what happened and why you are concerned)
- Any supporting documents or evidence (if available)
Review process
The Data Protection Officer (DPO) will review your complaint and provide a response within [X] working days.
Appeal process
If you are not satisfied with the response, you can appeal to the Data Protection Commission (DPC).
Visit the Data Protection Commission website for more information.
Contact us or make a data protection complaint
If you have questions about data protection or need assistance, contact the Courts Service Data Protection Officer (DPO):
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 353 [XXX] [XXX XXXX]
- Postal address:
Data Protection Officer
Courts Service of Ireland
[Street Address]
[City, County]
[Postal Code]
Ireland
You can also submit queries using our online contact form.
