Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
At The Island of Ireland (“we”, “our”, “us”), accessible at theislandofireland.com, we are fully committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal data of all individuals who interact with our website, services, and communications. We uphold the principles of data protection and privacy as outlined under applicable data protection legislation, including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This Privacy Policy outlines our practices regarding the collection, use, and protection of personal data.
We value transparency and responsibly handle your personal information with the highest standards of security and accountability.
2. Scope of Policy and Data Controller Role
This Privacy Policy governs the processing of personal data collected through the website theislandofireland.com and any related services or communications. The Island of Ireland acts as the “Data Controller” under GDPR and the “Business” under the CCPA with respect to the personal information we collect. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data.
This policy applies to visitors, users, contributors, partners, and any other individual whose personal data is collected through our digital platforms.
3. Categories of Data Processed
We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
a. Usage Data
This includes data on how you access and use our website, such as your IP address, browser type, device identifiers, session times, pages visited, and interactions with content.
b. Account Data
When you create an account or interact with services requiring identification, we collect your name, email address, phone number, postal address, and other contact details you provide.
c. Profile Data
We may collect information on your preferences, behavior, purchase history, and browsing patterns to enhance our services and personalize content.
d. Communication Data
This includes records of messages exchanged with us via forms, email (including [email protected]), support requests, or customer service communications.
e. Technical Data
We may gather data about your device type, operating system, browser settings, screen resolution, language preferences, and other technical configurations.
f. Transaction Data
If you purchase products, book services, or make other transactions, we collect data such as billing details, delivery addresses, purchase history, and payment method identifiers (processed securely via certified third-party providers).
g. Preference Data
We collect data on your consents for marketing communications, survey responses, content interest, and other voluntarily shared preference indicators.
4. Legal Bases for Processing
We process personal data only when a lawful basis under applicable data protection legislation applies. Specifically:
– Consent: Where you have expressly consented to processing, e.g., subscribing to a newsletter.
– Contractual Necessity: Where processing is required to fulfill a service, support request, or sale agreement with you.
– Legitimate Interests: For purposes such as fraud prevention, website maintenance, or user experience improvement—without overriding your fundamental rights.
– Legal Obligation: To comply with legal or regulatory obligations, such as tax or audit responsibilities.
5. Your Rights
You have the following rights under applicable data protection laws:
– Right of Access: Obtain confirmation of whether your data is being processed and request a copy.
– Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
– Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): Request deletion of your data under certain conditions.
– Right to Restriction of Processing: Ask us to limit processing if accuracy is contested, processing is unlawful, or for legal claims.
– Right to Data Portability: Receive personal data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and transmit it to another controller.
– Right to Object: Object to processing based on our legitimate interest or for direct marketing purposes.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond in accordance with applicable legal timelines.
6. Security Measures
We adopt industry-standard practices to protect your personal data, including:
– End-to-end encryption (HTTPS, encrypted storage, and transmission protocols)
– Access control and user authentication across systems
– Regular system audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability management
– Automated and manual backups to ensure data integrity
– Security awareness training for staff managing personal data
7. International Data Transfers
If personal data is transferred or stored outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United States, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. This includes reliance on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission or compliance mechanisms recognized under data protection laws of the relevant jurisdiction.
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes it was collected, or as required by applicable laws. General retention periods include:
– Account and Profile Data: Until account deactivation, unless a longer retention is legally required.
– Transaction Data: Retained for 7 years for tax and financial compliance.
– Technical and Usage Data: Retained for up to 24 months for analytics and platform improvement.
– Communication Records: Retained for 36 months unless further retention is warranted for legal purposes.
– Marketing Preferences: Retained until opt-out or revocation of consent.
9. Cookie Policy
We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve the user experience, analyze site performance, and personalize settings. These include:
– Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality, access, and security.
– Functional Cookies: Remember settings and preferences to optimize usability.
– Analytical Cookies: Allow us to understand how the site is used to improve layout, features, and marketing.
– Performance Cookies: Monitor loading times, responsiveness, and server performance.
10. Cookie Management and Compliance with GDPR & CCPA
Upon your first visit to theislandofireland.com, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner. You can manage your preferences at any time via the cookie settings panel. We do not install non-essential cookies without your explicit consent.
Under CCPA, California residents have the right to:
– Know what personal information is being collected and for what purpose
– Request deletion of specific data categories
– Opt-out of the sale of personal information (Note: We do not sell user data)
You can make these requests by contacting [email protected].
11. Special Protections for Children
We do not knowingly collect or process personal data from individuals under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data without parental consent, please contact us at [email protected], and we will remove such information immediately.
12. Policy Updates & User Notifications
This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in our data practices, legal obligations, or service improvements. Continued use of our website indicates your acknowledgment of the updated terms. Where material changes occur, we will notify users via email or a prominent notice on theislandofireland.com.
13. Contact
For questions, concerns, or requests related to your data privacy rights or this Privacy Policy, you may contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
We are committed to full compliance with applicable privacy laws, including GDPR and CCPA, and to responding promptly and transparently to all privacy-related inquiries.
Thank you for trusting The Island of Ireland with your personal information.