Jurisdictions / Ireland
GDPR in Ireland — data protection services that stand up to the DPC
Ireland is where a large share of international companies anchor their European operations — and where the Data Protection Commission (DPC), one of the most active supervisory authorities in the EU, examines them. We provide data protection services for organisations operating in or selling into Ireland: an outsourced DPO, GDPR compliance audits, DSAR handling and Article 27 EU representation.
Acting for a client? We are appointed behind professional advisers and report to you. Your relationship with your client stays yours.
Who we help in Ireland
Three situations bring organisations to us for the Irish market — each with a different obligation behind it.
Irish companies
Organisations established in Ireland that need a data protection officer, a compliance audit, DSAR support or ongoing consulting — with evidence the DPC would recognise.
Multinationals with an Irish base
Groups whose EU establishment sits in Ireland and whose lead authority is therefore the DPC. We act as group DPO or support the in-house team across EU and UK operations.
Companies outside the EU
UK and US organisations selling into Ireland without an EU establishment, who need an EU Representative under Article 27 — and often a UK appointment alongside it.
Data protection services for the Irish market
- Outsourced DPO — the named, independent officer role held under a service contract
- GDPR compliance audits and gap analyses mapped to DPC guidance
- DSAR handling — intake, identity verification, search, redaction and defensible evidence
- EU representation (Article 27) for organisations outside the EU selling into Ireland
- Data protection consulting — DPIAs, records of processing, policies and training
- UK GDPR coverage alongside, for organisations serving both markets
Why the DPC changes the calculation
Because so many international groups place their EU main establishment in Ireland, the DPC acts as lead supervisory authority for some of the largest processing operations in the world. It is well resourced, it publishes detailed guidance, and its decisions set the tone for enforcement across the EU. An organisation whose lead authority is the DPC should expect its DPO appointment, its records and its DSAR handling to be examined against that standard — which is exactly the standard we build to.
Questions, answered
Does my Irish company need a Data Protection Officer?
The test is the same as everywhere in the EU: a DPO is mandatory for public authorities, for organisations whose core activities involve regular and systematic monitoring of individuals on a large scale, and for large-scale processing of special-category or criminal-offence data. Many Irish organisations appoint one voluntarily because a customer, investor or the DPC asked. Article 37(6) GDPR permits the role to be filled under a service contract, so an outsourced DPO is the route the regulation itself names.
Does an Irish company need an EU Representative?
No — a company established in Ireland is established in the EU, so Article 27 does not apply to it. The requirement lands on organisations outside the EU that sell into Ireland or monitor people here: a UK company post-Brexit, or a US company with no EU establishment, may need an EU Representative even though its customers are Irish.
Can you act as DPO for an Irish organisation without an office in Dublin?
Yes. The GDPR requires the DPO to be easily accessible, not locally resident. We hold the role from our EU establishment in Malta, work in English, deal with the DPC in writing and by phone the same way an in-country provider would, and attend on site where an engagement calls for it.
What data protection law applies in Ireland?
The EU GDPR, supplemented by the Irish Data Protection Act 2018. The supervisory authority is the Data Protection Commission (DPC). Organisations that also serve the UK market answer separately to the UK GDPR and the ICO — we cover both regimes from one programme.
Start with a short conversation
Tell us how you touch the Irish market and we will tell you plainly which obligations apply — and which do not. No automated signup; we reply within one business day.
Beyond data protection
Clients who come to us for GDPR work sometimes need the corporate side handled too. Once the data protection engagement is in place, we can also support company formation and bank account opening across the jurisdictions we cover.