Introduction

Kildare Local Authorities needs to collect and use data (information) in order to provide a wide range of services to the citizens of the region. The purposes of processing data include the processing of planning applications and the provision of essential services, for example, water, waste water treatment, roads, housing and refuse management. Other areas include the libraries and arts service, the emergency services as well as the recruitment and management of internal temporary, contract and permanent staff. The Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003 confer rights on individuals as well as responsibilities on those persons processing personal data. Personal data, both automated and manual, are data relating to a living individual who is or can be identified, either from the data or from the data in conjunction with other information.

The purpose of this policy is to provide a statement of Kildare Local Authorities commitment to protect the rights and privacy of individuals in accordance with Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003.

The basic rules that Kildare Local Authorities have adopted are as follows:

Obtain and process information fairly
We shall obtain and process your personal data fairly and in accordance with statutory and other legal obligations.

Keep it only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purpose
We shall keep your personal data for purposes that are specific, lawful and clearly stated. Your personal data will only be processed in a manner compatible with these purposes. 

Use and disclose only in ways compatible with these purposes
We shall use and disclose your personal data only in circumstances that are necessary for the purposes for which we collected the data. 

Keep it safe and secure
We shall take appropriate security measures against unauthorised access to, or alteration, disclosure or destruction of your personal data and against its accidental loss or destruction.                                                                                                                  

Keep it accurate, complete and up-to-date
We adopt procedures that ensure high levels of data accuracy, completeness and that your data is up-to-date. 

Ensure it is adequate, relevant and not excessive
We shall only hold your personal data to the extent that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive. 

Retain for no longer than is necessary
We have a retention policy for your personal data. 

Give a copy of his/ her personal data to that individual, on reques t
We adopt procedures to ensure that data subjects can exercise their rights under the Data Protection legislation to access their data.