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Privacy

Introduction

When the term 'we' is used, it refers to the owner of the website, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (abbreviation 'FSAI'). In order to provide you with information and services, we will need to collect and use information about you. We are committed to protecting your privacy and managing your personal information in a secure environment. The FSAI website has been developed with your rights and needs in mind and will be maintained according to strict guidelines and policies. In particular, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland will ensure that personal information is protected and adheres to the guidelines for the collection, use and disclosure of that personal information.

The FSAI maintains strict guidelines for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information. We will keep you informed about the sort of personal information we hold and for what purposes, and how we collect, use and disclose this information. You can request to access and correct any information FSAI collects about you at any time and advise us of any corrections you wish to make. If you have any queries, please Contact Us.

This Privacy Statement applies to all personal data collected via the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) website including the MenuCal calorie calculator (“MenuCal”) which is provided by the FSAI. By using our website (including MenuCal), you accept the practices described in this document. We may update our Privacy Statement from time to time to take account of changing requirements such as changes in technology or legislation.

In addition, we recommend that you review the Privacy Statement of any website accessed through the FSAI website as these sites may be subject to different privacy practices. The FSAI is not responsible for these websites or for the information made available thereon.

Collection of Personal Information

The FSAI fully respects your right to privacy, and will not collect any personal information on this website without your clear permission. Any personal information volunteered will be treated with the highest standards of security and confidentiality, in accordance with the Data Protection Acts, 1988, 2003 and 2014.

The FSAI will only ask for personal information (e.g. your name, address, email etc). that is relevant in order to answer a specific query or task. This gathering of information is consistent with our offline work practices. We do not forward information about you to any third party, unless required by law, or that agency is relevant to your enquiry. Personal information will only be used for the purpose in which it is collected.

As you browse this website, we will monitor what pages you visit in order to give us aggregate statistics about visitors to our site and their preferences. No information is collected that could be used by us to identify individual visitors on the website.

We will not ask for and collect any sensitive information about you (such as gender, marital status, age, race or health information) unless it is necessary to meet legal, public interest or statistical requirements related to and required to complete the transaction you have requested. Provision of this information (except where it is a legal requirement) is completely at your discretion, and you may decide to not provide it to us.

The FSAI may automatically record other information as well. This information is used to improve the structure and performance of the FSAI website in order to provide you with better services. Whenever a page is requested from our web server, the FSAI records the time, date and URL of the request, along with information on the browser software that is being used. If you log-in to MenuCal, you will be asked to provide the following personal data:

  • Your name; and
  • Your email address.

Cookies

We also track the pattern of visitor usage across FSAI website using cookies. Cookies are files that a website can transfer to an individual's computer. These can make using the FSAI website easier by storing information about your preferences on the site. Most major websites use cookies to enhance the user experience.

Cookies used on this site do not give us access to personal information. We suggest taking a look at the 'About Cookies' website for guidance about deleting and controlling cookies in different browsers. Please also review the terms of our Cookie Policy which clearly sets out the cookies which we use: https://www.fsai.ie/cookies.html

How We Use Your Personal Information

The personal information that you provide to the FSAI during registration for services on the FSAI website is used for identification purposes and will assist you to subscribe to FSAI services more easily. The information we collect from your use of the website enables us to provide personalised services that are tailored to your needs. Recording usage patterns helps us to identify the areas of our site that are popular and those that are not.

The FSAI aggregates the data that is gathered when you use FSAI for analysis purposes. Personally identifiable characteristics are removed and the visitor remains anonymous, unless you have given prior specific consent for FSAI to recognise your usage on an individual basis. Additional data provided to us is used to examine internet trends and demographics to help the FSAI offer you improved online products and services.

In relation to the information which you provide upon registration for MenuCal, the FSAI will use this information for its own internal purposes (for example, to profile the type and size of businesses using MenuCal). Please note that any recipe information which you submit through MenuCal will be treated as confidential information in accordance with the MenuCal Terms of Use.

Disclosure of Your Information

We will not use your personal information or data for a purpose other than the purposes for which you supplied it, and will not disclose it to any other person or organisation unless:

  • The information is necessary to facilitate answering of a query or specific request, which you have made
  • We are required by law to do so; or
  • There are reasonable grounds to believe that disclosure is necessary to prevent a threat to life or health; or
  • That person or organisation is an agent or contractor providing a service to FSAI, who will be required to maintain the same or similar privacy principles as specified in privacy legislation; or
  • You have given us consent to do so.

You may also notify us at any time that you want to change the information held by using the Contact Us form on the website.

Social Media

The FSAI is active on Twitter and Facebook and share links to some of our content on these platforms. This information is available purely for convenience and we do not track or measure individual visitor activity.

How to Access, Correct or Update Your Information

Under the Data Protection Acts, 1988, 2003 & 2014, you have the right to have your personal data corrected, if inaccurate, or erased, if there is not a legitimate reason for retaining the data. A Request for Rectification or Erasure should be made in writing, by letter or email, signed and accompanied by a copy of a current identification document (e.g. passport, driving license) to Information Manager, Food Safety Authority of Ireland, The Exchange, IFSC, Dublin 1 or info@fsai.ie. We will take all reasonable steps to confirm your identity before changing or erasing any information. There is no charge for such a request.

We will also allow you access to personal information in accordance with our obligations under the Freedom of Information Act. In rare instances it may not be reasonable to let you have access to the personal information we hold about you. These circumstances may include where we reasonably believe that providing access may pose a serious threat to life or health of an individual or to public safety, providing access would be unlawful, or providing access would reveal pending legal proceedings or prejudice an investigation into unlawful activity that you may have been engaged in.

If we do not allow you to access the personal information we hold about you, we will provide you with a reason for our denial and the opportunity to respond. Our Privacy principles set out the processes of review and independent mediation that are available to you.

Security of Information

The FSAI maintains this website to enhance access for stakeholders and other interested parties to information about its activities. Our goal is to keep this information up to date and accurate. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them (contact info@fsai.ie to report any errors).

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that all information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete, up-to-date and stored in a secure environment accessed only by authorised persons. Transmissions sent to or from FSAI are routinely monitored for quality control and systems administration.

Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed as totally secure. Whilst we strive to protect such information, we do not warrant and cannot ensure the security of any information which you transmit to us. Accordingly, any information which you transmit to us is transmitted at your own risk. Nevertheless, once we receive your transmission, we will take reasonable steps to preserve the security of such information.

Copyright

The material on our website, the software, design, text and graphics comprised in the site and the selection and layout of the site are owned or licensed to us and protected by copyright under the laws of Ireland and other countries. You may view this website and its contents using your web browser and save an electronic copy of the website solely in the usual operation of your web browser in visiting the site.

You must not otherwise reproduce, transmit (including broadcast), adapt, distribute, sell, modify, publish, communicate to the public or otherwise use any of the material on the site without FSAI’s prior written consent.

Linked Websites

The FSAI website contains links to other websites (“linked websites”). Those links are provided for convenience only and the FSAI cannot guarantee that they will remain current or continue to be maintained. The FSAI are not responsible for the content or privacy practices associated with linked websites.

Our links with linked websites should not be construed as an endorsement, approval or recommendation by us of the owners or operators of those linked websites, or of any information, graphics, materials, products or services referred to or contained on those linked websites, unless and to the extent stipulated to the contrary.

Contact

Should you wish to obtain further information on matters relating to the processing of personal data on our website, or any of the points raised in this document, please contact us.

Information Manager
Food Safety Authority of Ireland
The Exchange
Georges Dock
IFSC
D01 P2V6
Dublin 1
Tel: 01 8171300
Fax: 01 8171200
Email: info@fsai.ie
Last reviewed: 21.08.18

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