Legal · Privacy notice
This notice explains what personal information St Kieran’s College holds about students, parents and guardians, staff and visitors, why we hold it, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and what your rights are.
Who we are
The Board of Management of St Kieran’s College, College Road, Kilkenny, is the data controller for the personal data held by the school. The Principal looks after data protection day to day on the Board’s behalf.
To ask anything about your data, contact the school office: 056 776 1707 or school@stkieranscollege.ie, or write to the Principal, St Kieran’s College, College Road, Kilkenny.
The Diocesan College (the chapel, archives, library, past pupils and faith development) has its own office. For data it holds, contact 056 772 1086 or admin@stkieranscollege.ie.
What we collect
- Students: name, address, date of birth, PPS number, parents’ or guardians’ contact details, records from previous schools, attendance, reports and exam results, learning support and special educational needs, medical information we need to keep a student safe, records of behaviour, and photographs.
- October Returns: some extra information the Department of Education asks for each year, such as ethnic or cultural background, religion and whether English is a first language. We only collect it with your consent.
- Parents and guardians: names and contact details, any custody or access arrangements we need to know about, and payment details for contributions and activities.
- Staff and job applicants: contact details, PPS number, qualifications, Teaching Council number, Garda vetting, and pay, absence and pension records.
- Board of Management and Parents’ Association: names, contact details and minutes of meetings.
- Visitors and others: CCTV images, details you send us through this website, by phone or by email, and donor details for charity tax relief.
Why we use it
We only use personal data where the law allows it:
- To educate students and meet our legal duties under the Education Act 1998, the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 and the Children First Act 2015.
- To keep students safe and well, including child safeguarding and medical emergencies.
- To employ and pay staff, and meet our duties as an employer.
- With your consent, for example photographs on the website and social media, and some October Returns information. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- For safety and security: CCTV protects students, staff, visitors and school property.
Sensitive information, such as health, religion or ethnic background, is only used where the law specifically allows it or with your explicit consent.
Who we share it with
We only share personal data when we need to or the law requires it, and only what is needed. This can include:
- the Department of Education (October Returns through the Post-Primary Online Database)
- the State Examinations Commission and the National Council for Special Education
- Tusla, the Child and Family Agency (child protection and school attendance)
- the HSE (school health services and vaccinations)
- another school, when a student transfers
- An Garda Síochána and the National Vetting Bureau, where the law requires
- the Revenue Commissioners, our insurers and our legal advisers
- colleges and employers, when a student asks us for a reference
We also use trusted service providers to run the school: for example our school management and communication systems, payments, IT support and website hosting. They may only use the data on our instructions and must keep it secure.
We never sell personal data, or use it for marketing.
Outside Ireland
We aim to keep personal data within the European Economic Area. Where a service provider stores data outside it, we make sure the protection required by law is in place, such as the EU’s standard contract terms.
How long we keep it
We keep records only for as long as we need them, in line with the records retention schedule for voluntary secondary schools. For example:
- the register of students is kept permanently, as the law requires
- most other student records are kept until the student turns 25 (seven years after they turn 18)
- CCTV recordings are kept for 28 days, unless they are needed to investigate an incident
- messages sent through this website are kept only as long as we need them to reply
Records are then securely destroyed.
Keeping it safe
Paper records are kept locked, and computer records are protected by passwords and access controls. Only staff who need the information can see it, and staff are trained in their data protection duties. If a data breach puts people at risk, we report it to the Data Protection Commission within 72 hours and tell the people affected.
Your rights
You have the right to:
- see the personal data we hold about you and get a free copy
- correct anything that is wrong or incomplete
- ask us to delete data we no longer have a reason to keep
- limit or object to how we use your data in some cases
- get your data in a portable form in some cases
- withdraw consent you have given, at any time
To make a request, contact the school office or write to the Principal. We will reply within one month, and we may ask for proof of identity first.
Parents and guardians usually make requests on behalf of students under 18. Students aged 18 or over can make requests themselves.
This website
This website uses cookies that it needs to work. Other cookies are only used if you agree to them in the cookie banner, and you can change your choice at any time. See our Cookie Policy.
Messages you send through the contact forms go to the school or College office by email. Videos on this site are hosted on YouTube, which may set its own cookies when you play one.
Making a complaint
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, please tell us first so we can put it right. You can also complain to the Data Protection Commission, 21 Fitzwilliam Square South, Dublin 2, D02 RD28 · dataprotection.ie · 01 765 0100.
We review this notice every year and whenever the law changes. Last updated November 2026.