Last Updated: May 19, 2026

The National Social Work Organisation of Ireland CLG trading as Irish Association of Social Workers (“IASW”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect personal data when you:

• visit our public website,
• apply for or maintain membership,
• access our members-only portal,
• attend events, training, or webinars,
• complete surveys or forms,
• communicate with us,
• or otherwise engage with our services.

We process personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”) and applicable Irish data protection law.

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is:

The National Social Work Organisation of Ireland CLG
T/A Irish Association of Social Workers
St. Andrews Resource Centre
114–116 Pearse Street
Dublin 2

Phone: +353 86 024 1055
Email: adminstrator@iasw.ie

2. Membership Eligibility

Membership of IASW is restricted to those actively seeking a CORU approved social work qualification, qualified or registered social workers.

Applicants may be required to provide professional registration details, qualifications, employment information, or other documentation necessary to verify eligibility for membership and maintain professional standards.

3. The Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that is necessary and relevant to operate our organisation and provide services to members.

3.1 Information You Provide to Us

We may collect:

• full name,
• email address,
• telephone number,
• postal address,
• occupation and employer,
• qualifications and professional registration details including CORU registration number,
• payment and transaction information,
• event registrations,
• communications and correspondence,
• marketing preferences,
• survey responses and feedback,
• and any information you voluntarily provide to us.

Payments are processed securely through third-party payment providers. We do not store full payment card details on our systems.

3.2 Sensitive Personal Data

Where necessary, we may process limited categories of sensitive personal data where permitted by GDPR and applicable law.

Access to sensitive personal data is restricted and only used where necessary for providing services, meeting legal obligations, or protecting professional standards.

3.3 Information Automatically Collected

When you use our website or member portal, we may automatically collect:

• IP address,
• browser type and device information,
• pages visited,
• date and time of access,
• referring website information,
• login and usage information for the members portal,
• cookie identifiers,
• analytics information,
• and information about interactions with emails or website content.

Some areas of our website are publicly accessible, while member-only areas require authentication and are restricted to approved members.

4. How We Use Your Personal Information

We use personal information to operate the organisation, provide services, and fulfil our legal and professional obligations.

4.1 Membership Administration

We use your information to:

• assess eligibility for membership,
• administer memberships and renewals,
• manage member accounts,
• maintain professional membership records,
• verify professional standing where appropriate,
• and communicate essential membership information.

4.2 Member Communications

We may contact you regarding:

• membership renewals,
• governance matters,
• professional updates,
• events and training,
• surveys and consultations,
• operational notices,
• and responses to your enquiries.

Certain service or administrative communications are necessary for membership administration and cannot be opted out of.

4.3 Marketing Communications

Where required by law, we will seek your consent before sending marketing or promotional communications.

You may withdraw consent or unsubscribe at any time by:

• using the unsubscribe link in emails,
• updating your member preferences,
• or contacting us directly.

If you opt out of marketing communications, we may retain limited information on a suppression list to ensure your preferences are respected.

4.4 Website and Service Improvement

We may use personal information to:

• improve our website and member services,
• analyse website usage,
• administer surveys,
• improve member experience,
• troubleshoot technical issues,
• maintain security,
• and support organisational planning and development.

4.5 Legal and Regulatory Purposes

We may process personal data:

• to comply with legal obligations,
• to maintain financial and audit records,
• to prevent fraud or misuse,
• to protect the rights and safety of members and the organisation,
• and to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

Processing necessary to provide membership services and fulfil obligations associated with membership.

Legitimate Interests

Processing necessary for the legitimate interests of operating, managing, securing, and improving the organisation and its services.

Consent

Where required, we rely on consent for certain communications, optional surveys, cookies, or other specific activities.

Legal Obligations

Processing necessary to comply with legal, regulatory, accounting, or governance obligations.

6. Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not sell or rent personal information to third parties.

We may disclose personal information to trusted third-party service providers who process information on our behalf, including providers that support:

• payment processing,
• website hosting,
• cloud storage,
• email communications and newsletters,
• member management systems,
• surveys and feedback tools,
• training or event platforms,
• analytics services,
• and IT or security services.

Third-party service providers process personal data under written Data Processing Agreements in accordance with Article 28 GDPR and may only process information in accordance with our instructions.

We may also disclose personal information:

• where required by law,
• to comply with court orders or regulatory requirements,
• to protect legal rights,
• or where necessary in relation to professional or regulatory obligations.

Where appropriate and lawful, we may confirm membership status or professional standing.

7. International Transfers

Information is primarily stored within the European Economic Area (EEA).

Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with GDPR, including:

• adequacy decisions,
• Standard Contractual Clauses,
• or other approved transfer mechanisms.

8. Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• ensure website functionality,
• remember user preferences,
• analyse website traffic,
• improve services,
• and support security and performance.

Non-essential cookies and analytics technologies are only used where consent has been provided.

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings and any cookie consent tools available on our website.

Please see our Cookie Policy for additional information.

9. Security of Your Information

We take the security of personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect against:

• unauthorised access,
• disclosure,
• misuse,
• loss,
• destruction,
• or alteration.

These measures include:

• encrypted website connections (TLS),
• restricted staff access,
• password protections,
• confidentiality obligations for staff and contractors,
• and secure third-party service providers.

While we take reasonable steps to protect personal information, no method of transmission over the internet can be guaranteed completely secure.

Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their passwords and login credentials.

10. Retention of Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including:

• membership administration,
• legal and regulatory compliance,
• financial reporting,
• dispute resolution,
• fraud prevention,
• and legitimate organisational purposes.

General enquiries submitted through the website may be retained for up to 12 months.

Membership, financial, and related records are generally retained for up to seven years unless a longer retention period is required by law or necessary for legitimate organisational purposes.

Certain limited records, such as marketing suppression lists, may be retained for longer where necessary to comply with legal obligations or respect communication preferences.

11. Your Rights Under GDPR

Under GDPR, you may have the right to:

• access your personal data,
• request correction of inaccurate data,
• request deletion of your personal data,
• restrict processing,
• object to processing,
• withdraw consent,
• request portability of your data,
• and lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

We may request proof of identity before processing certain requests.

Some rights apply only in limited circumstances and may be subject to legal or regulatory exemptions.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details below.

12. Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with how we process your personal data, we encourage you to contact us first so we can attempt to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the:

Data Protection Commission

13. External Websites

Our website or communications may contain links to third-party websites or services.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of external websites, and we encourage users to review their privacy policies separately.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, technical, or operational changes.

Updated versions will be published on this page together with a revised “Last Updated” date.

15. Contact Us

For any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or how we process personal data, please contact:

Office Administrator
The National Social Work Organisation of Ireland CLG
T/A Irish Association of Social Workers
St. Andrews Resource Centre
114–116 Pearse Street
Dublin 2

Phone: +353 86 024 1055
Email: adminstrator@iasw.ie

For data protection enquiries, subject access requests, or complaints, please contact:

Office Administrator

Email: adminstrator@iasw.ie