Data Protection Statement
Your privacy is important to us, and we are fully committed to keeping your personal information safe. This data protection statement is intended to provide you with information about the personal information we collect about you and how that information is used and shared. It also sets out your privacy rights. Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with our privacy practices so that you are fully aware of how and why we are using your personal data.
What is the Grow Digital portal?
The Grow Digital portal is an initiative of the Government of Ireland, developed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This portal is designed to help your business self-assess your digital readiness and provide recommended actions and supports to help you improve digitalisation of your business.
Data Controller
For the purposes of this data protection statement, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is the Data Controller for the Grow Digital portal.
This means that we have certain responsibilities when we process or “use” your Personal Data. Part of these responsibilities include that we provide you with information about your personal data. This information is set out in this Data Protection Statement.
Our Data Protection Officer
We have appointed a Data Protection Officer, Ms. Celyna Coughlan for you to contact if you have any questions regarding this data protection statement, our privacy practices or if you wish to exercise your data rights. Our Data Protection Officer can be reached by email at: dataprotection@enterprise.gov.ie. We value your opinions. Should you have any questions or comments related to this data protection statement, please contact us at: dataprotection@enterprise.gov.ie.
Collection and use of your Personal Data
We fully respect your right to privacy and confidentiality. Any personal information which you input into the Grow Digital portal will be treated with the highest standards of security and confidentiality, strictly in accordance with our obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Data collected may include:
- Information you choose to input including: (this will be anonymised)
- Type of business sector.
- Number of staff your business employs.
- Geographical location of your business.
- If your business currently exports products or services or plans to do so in the short term.
- If your business is located in a Gaeltacht region.
- If your business is a client of a Government agency (i.e. Local Enterprise Office, Enterprise Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta, IDA Ireland) or if your business is not a client of the above.
- Email Subscription – If you choose to subscribe to our e-mail updates, we will retain your contact details (name and e-mail address) to allow us to send you updates in relation to the Grow Digital portal.
Collection and use of technical information
What is our legal basis for using your personal data?
We are required by data protection law to indicate to you the legal basis which relates to our use of your personal data. Our legal basis for the processing or “use” of your personal data for the Grow Digital portal is:
Article 6(1)(e) GDPR – processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise in official authority vested in the Controller (in this case the Controller is the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; the “Department”).
Who has access to your personal data?
Staff in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for the Grow Digital portal.
This information will be provided by you when you insert details into the Grow Digital portal.
Your anonymised personal data may also be shared by us with third parties (e.g. other state agencies) to meet our legal obligations, applicable regulation or other lawful requests.
Data storage and retention
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment stores your personal data securely and will not retain or use your personal information for any longer than is necessary.
The personal data (name and e-mail address) provided by you on the Grow Digital portal will be retained by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a period of 3 Years from the date you subscribe to an email subscription.
These personal data will be securely destructed in line with our records management processes after that date.
International transfers
We do not transfer your personal data outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
Your data rights
You have certain rights under data-protection law in relation to how we use your personal information. You have the right, free of charge, to:
- Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. You can do this by completing a Subject Access Request (SAR) form. A copy of the form is available here.
- Rectify any inaccurate personal information we hold about you. If your personal data is incomplete, you have the right to have data completed, including by means of providing supplementary information.
- Restrict processing of your personal information in certain limited circumstances (e.g. if you have contested the accuracy of your personal data, for a period enabling us to verify accuracy).
- Not be subject to a decision which is based solely on automated processing where that decision produces a legal effect on you or otherwise significantly affects you. We do not make automated decisions of this nature.
We may take measures to verify your identity. We will do this by reference to copies of acceptable identification documentation supplied by you.
Making a complaint
In the first instance, we would ask you to contact us directly if you have concerns about how we process your personal data. You can do this by emailing us at: dataprotection@enterprise.gov.ie.
You can also Make a complaint with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) if you have concerns about how we process your personal data.
Changes to this data protection statement
If in the future we make any changes to our data protection statement, the latest version of our statement will be posted on our website. If you would like further information about this statement, please contact us at: info@growdigital.gov.ie.