GDPR applies to every charity / nonprofit in Ireland, whether you’re based in Galway City or anywhere across Galway. With approximately 15,000 SMEs in the county, the DPC has made it clear that enforcement applies to businesses of all sizes. Let’s walk through what compliance looks like for your business.
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Yes. Every charity / nonprofit in Galway that processes personal data of EU residents must comply with GDPR. This includes collecting customer names, email addresses, payment details, or any information that can identify a person. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global turnover. The Data Protection Commission (DPC) in Ireland is actively enforcing these rules.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Processing beneficiary health, social welfare, and circumstance data without explicit consent or an appropriate lawful basis
Sharing donor personal data with fundraising agencies, mailing houses, or other charities without proper agreements or transparency
Retaining volunteer and former employee records with Garda vetting details and references indefinitely
Using donor data for fundraising campaigns beyond what donors originally consented to
Collecting excessive data from beneficiaries and service users beyond what is needed for service delivery
DATA INVENTORY
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REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Every Charity / Nonprofit in Ireland needs these documents to demonstrate GDPR compliance.
STEP BY STEP
Provide clear privacy notices to donors, beneficiaries, and volunteers — each group has different data being processed and should receive a tailored notice.
Obtain explicit consent before processing any special category data from beneficiaries, such as health conditions, disability information, or ethnicity.
Put data processing agreements in place with all third parties that handle personal data on your behalf — including fundraising agencies, mailing houses, CRM platforms, and payment processors.
Set retention periods: delete donor records 7 years after the last donation (for tax relief purposes), beneficiary records within 12 months of service ending, and volunteer Garda vetting records according to the National Vetting Bureau Act retention guidance.
Implement data minimisation — collect only the data you need from beneficiaries and service users to deliver your service.
Train all staff and volunteers on data protection, particularly those who handle beneficiary personal data and donor financial information.
Conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment if you process special category data at scale, such as health or social welfare data for hundreds of service users.
COMMON PITFALLS
Assuming that because you are a charity doing good work, GDPR compliance is less important or that the DPC will not scrutinise your data practices.
Sharing donor lists with other charities or fundraising organisations without donors' knowledge or consent.
Collecting far more data from beneficiaries than is necessary for the service being provided.
Retaining Garda vetting disclosures for former volunteers indefinitely without any review or deletion process.
FAQ
Everything you need to know about GDPR compliance for your business.
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Every day your Charity / Nonprofit in Galway operates without proper GDPR compliance is a risk. The DPC is increasing enforcement across Ireland — get ahead of it today.
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