Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011

What is this act about?

This law makes certain telecommunications companies keep specific customer data for a set period. This is done to help prevent serious crimes, protect national security, and save lives.

Who it applies to: "Service providers" who offer publicly available electronic communications services or public communications networks (like phone or internet companies); Law enforcement (Garda Síochána), military (Permanent Defence Force), and Revenue Commissioners officers who can request access to this data.

Deadlines:

Data from Part 1 of Schedule 2 must be kept for 2 years, and data from Part 2 for 1 year.
Retained data must be destroyed after 2 years and one month (Part 1 data) or one year and one month (Part 2 data), unless accessed and preserved.

At a glance

Country: Ireland
Area of law: Civil law
Articles: 14
Source: irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved: 2026-06-17
Explanation updated: 2026-07-07

What does this act regulate?

The obligation for service providers to retain certain data.
The security measures that must be applied to the retained data.
How and when retained data can be accessed or disclosed.
The destruction of retained data after specific periods.

Who does this act apply to?

"Service providers" who offer publicly available electronic communications services or public communications networks (like phone or internet companies).
Law enforcement (Garda Síochána), military (Permanent Defence Force), and Revenue Commissioners officers who can request access to this data.

What are the key points?

Service providers must retain data in categories specified in Schedule 2.
Data from Part 1 of Schedule 2 must be kept for 2 years, and data from Part 2 for 1 year.
Retained data must be destroyed after 2 years and one month (Part 1 data) or one year and one month (Part 2 data), unless accessed and preserved.
Access to retained data is restricted to specific circumstances, including disclosure requests from authorized officers for serious offences, state security, or saving human life.

Civil law

Geneva Conventions Act, 1962

Hotel Proprietors Act, 1963

Contractual Obligations (Applicable Law) Act, 1991

Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1941

Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Act, 1926

League of Nations (Obligations of Membership) Act, 1935

Land Act, 1946

Superannuation Act, 1942

Civil law

Legal text

Contents (14)

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Section 10
Section 11
Section 12
Section 13
Section 14

Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Revised Act Acht Athbh… Open PDFOscail PDF Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 3 of 2011 COMMUNICATIONS (RETENTION OF DATA) ACT 2011 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section

Section 1

1.Interpretation.

Section 2

2.Non-application of Act.

Section 3

3.Obligation to retain data.

Section 4

4.Data security.

Section 5

5.Access to data.

Section 6

6.Disclosure request.

Section 7

7.Service provider to comply with disclosure request.

Section 8

8.Processing for other purpose.

Section 9

9.Statistics.

Section 10

10.Complaints procedure.

Section 11

11.Amendment of section 8 (Review of operation of Act by judge of High Court) of Act of 1993.

Section 12

12.Duties of designated judge in relation to this Act.

Section 13

13.Repeal.

Section 14

14.Short title.

SCHEDULE 1 Offences Deemed to be Serious Offences SCHEDULE 2

PART 1

Fixed network telephony and mobile telephony data to be retained under section 3

PART 2

Internet access, Internet e-mail and Internet telephony data to be retained under section 3 Acts Referred to Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996 1996, No. 31 Criminal Evidence Act 1992 1992, No. 12 Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 2005, No. 2 Customs Consolidation Act 1876 39 & 40, Vict. Ch. 36 Data Protection Act 1988 1988, No. 25 Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 Finance Act 1999 1999, No. 2 Finance Act 2001 2001, No. 7 Finance Act 2003 2003, No. 3 Finance Act 2005 2005, No. 5 Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 1993, No. 10 Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 1997, No. 26 Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 1995 Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 1998, No. 49 Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 1997, No. 39 Number 3 of 2011 COMMUNICATIONS (RETENTION OF DATA) ACT 2011 AN ACT TO GIVE EFFECT TO DIRECTIVE NO. 2006/24/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL OF 15 MARCH 2006 1 ON THE RETENTION OF DATA GENERATED OR PROCESSED IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROVISION OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES OR OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS AND AMENDING DIRECTIVE 2002/58/EC 2 , TO PROVIDE FOR THE RETENTION OF AND ACCESS TO CERTAIN DATA FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PREVENTION OF SERIOUS OFFENCES, THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE SECURITY OF THE STATE AND THE SAVING OF HUMAN LIFE, TO REPEAL PART 7 OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE (TERRORIST OFFENCES) ACT 2005 , TO AMEND THE INTERCEPTION OF POSTAL PACKETS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS MESSAGES (REGULATION) ACT 1993 AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [26th January, 2011] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Interpretation.

1.— (1) In this Act— “Act of 1993” means the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 ; “cell ID” means the identity of the cell from which a mobile telephony call originated or in which it terminated; “data” means traffic data or location data and the related data necessary to identify the subscriber or user; “designated judge” means the judge of the High Court designated by the President of the High Court under section 8 of the Act of 1993; “disclosure request” means a request to a service provider under section 6 for the disclosure of data retained in accordance with section 3 ; “ Garda Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána; “Minister” means the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform; “processing” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 1988 ; “Referee” means the holder of the office of Complaints Referee under the Act of 1993; “revenue offence” means an offence under any of the following provisions that is a serious offence: (a) section 186 of the Customs Consolidation Act 1876 ; (b) section 1078 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 ; (c) section 102 of the Finance Act 1999 ; (d) section 119 of the Finance Act 2001 ; (e) section 79 (inserted by section 62 of the Finance Act 2005 ) of the Finance Act 2003 ; (f) section 78 of the Finance Act 2005 ; “serious offence” means an offence punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 years or more, and an offence listed in Schedule 1 is deemed to be a serious offence; “service provider” means a person who is engaged in the provision of a publicly available electronic communications service or a public communications network by means of fixed line or mobile telephones or the Internet; “telephone service” means calls (including voice, voicemail, conference and data calls), supplementary services (including call forwarding and call transfer) and messaging and multimedia services (including short message services, enhanced media services and multi-media services); “unsuccessful call attempt” means a communication where a telephone call or an Internet telephony call has been successfully connected but not answered or there has been a network management intervention; “user” means a person using a publicly available electronic communications service, for private or business purposes, without necessarily having subscribed to that service; “ user ID” means a unique identifier allocated to a person when they subscribe to or register with an Internet access service or Internet communications service.

(2)A word or expression used in this Act and also in Directive 2002/58/EC has the same meaning in this Act as in that Directive.

Non-application of Act.

2.— This Act does not apply to the content of communications transmitted by means of fixed network telephony, mobile telephony, Internet access, Internet e-mail or Internet telephony.

Obligation to retain data.

3.— (1) A service provider shall retain data in the categories specified in Schedule 2 , for a period of 2 years in respect of the data referred to in

Part 1

of Schedule 2 and for a period of one year in respect of the data referred to in

Part 2

of Schedule 2 .

(2)The periods of retention referred to in subsection (1) commence— (a) in the case of data that before the passing of this Act were the subject of a data retention request under Part 7 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 , on the date before the passing of this Act on which the data were first processed by the service provider, (b) in any other case, on the date on or after the passing of this Act on which the data were first so processed.

(3)Data retained in accordance with subsection (1) shall be retained in such a way that they may be disclosed without undue delay pursuant to a disclosure request.

(4)The data referred to in subsection (1) include data relating to unsuccessful call attempts that, in the case of data specified in

Part 1

of Schedule 2 , are stored in the State, or in the case of data specified in

Part 2

of Schedule 2 , are logged in the State.

(5)This section does not require a service provider to retain aggregated data, data that have been made anonymous or data relating to unconnected calls.

(6)In this section “aggregated data” means data that cannot be related to individual subscribers or users.

Data security.

4.— (1) A service provider who retains data under section 3

(1)shall take the following security measures in relation to the retained data: (a) the data shall be of the same quality and subject to the same security and protection as those data relating to the publicly available electronic communications service or to the public communications network, as the case may be; (b) the data shall be subject to appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the data against accidental or unlawful destruction, accidental loss or alteration, or unauthorised or unlawful storage, processing, access or disclosure; (c) the data shall be subject to appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that they can be accessed by authorised personnel only; (d) the data, except those that have been accessed and preserved, shall be destroyed by the service provider after— (i) in the case of the data in the categories specified in

Part 1

of Schedule 2 , a period of 2 years and one month, or (ii) in the case of the data in the categories specified in

Part 2

of Schedule 2 , a period of one year and one month.

(2)The Data Protection Commissioner is hereby designated as the national supervisory authority for the purposes of this Act and Directive No. 2006/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Access to data.

5.— A service provider shall not access data retained in accordance with section 3 except— (a) at the request and with the consent of a person to whom the data relate, (b) for the purpose of complying with a disclosure request, (c) in accordance with a court order, or (d) as may be authorised by the Data Protection Commissioner.

Disclosure request.

6.— (1) A member of the Garda Síochána not below the rank of chief superintendent may request a service provider to disclose to that member data retained by the service provider in accordance with section 3 where that member is satisfied that the data are required for— (a) the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of a serious offence, (b) the safeguarding of the security of the State, (c) the saving of human life.

(2)An officer of the Permanent Defence Force not below the rank of colonel may request a service provider to disclose to that officer data retained by the service provider in accordance with section 3 where that officer is satisfied that the data are required for the purpose of safeguarding the security of the State.

(3)An officer of the Revenue Commissioners not below the rank of principal officer may request a service provider to disclose to that officer data retained by the service provider in accordance with section 3 where that officer is satisfied that the data are required for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of a revenue offence.

(4)A disclosure request shall be made in writing, but in cases of exceptional urgency the request may be made orally (whether by telephone or otherwise) by a person entitled under subsection (1), (2) or (3) to make the request.

(5)A person who makes a disclosure request orally shall confirm the request in writing to the service provider within 2 working days of the request being made.

Service provider to comply with disclosure request.

7.— A service provider shall comply with a disclosure request made to the service provider.

Processing for other purpose.

8.— Where all or part of the period specified in a data retention request coincides with the period during which any of the data specified in the request may, in accordance with law, be processed for purposes other than those specified in the request, nothing in section 6 shall prevent those data from being processed for those other purposes.

Statistics.

9.— (1) The Garda Commissioner shall prepare and submit a report to the Minister in respect of data specified in Schedule 2 that were the subject of all disclosure requests made under section 6

(1)during the relevant period.

(2)The Chief of Staff of the Permanent Defence Force shall prepare and submit a report to the Minister for Defence in respect of data specified in Schedule 2 that were the subject of all disclosure requests made under section 6

(2)during the relevant period.

(3)The Revenue Commissioners shall prepare and submit a report to the Minister for Finance in respect of data specified in Schedule 2 that were the subject of all disclosure requests made under section 6

(3)during the relevant period.

(4)A report under subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be submitted as soon as is practicable after the end of the relevant period.

(5)The report shall include— (a) the number of times when data had been disclosed in response to a disclosure request, (b) the number of times when a disclosure request could not be met, (c) the average period of time between the date on which the retained data were first processed and the disclosure request.

(6)The Minister for Defence shall review the report submitted under subsection (2) and shall forward it to the Minister, along with any comments that he or she may have with respect to it.

(7)The Minister for Finance shall review the report submitted under subsection (3) and shall forward it to the Minister, along with any comments that he or she may have with respect to it.

(8)The Minister, on receipt of the report submitted under subsection (1) and the reports forwarded to him or her under subsection (6) and (7) shall review the reports and the comments and shall prepare a State report that consolidates those reports and submit it to the European Commission.

(9)A State report shall be submitted as soon as is practicable after the end of the relevant period.

(10)The State report shall include the matters referred to in subsection (5).

(11)For the purposes of this section, “relevant period” means— (a) the period beginning on the day on which this Act commences and ending on the 31 December next following that day, and (b) each successive 12 month period.

Complaints procedure.

10.— (1) A contravention of section 6 in relation to a disclosure request shall not of itself render that disclosure request invalid or constitute a cause of action at the suit of a person affected by the disclosure request, but any such contravention shall be subject to investigation in accordance with the subsequent provisions of this section and nothing in this subsection shall affect a cause of action for the infringement of a constitutional right.

(2)A person who believes that data that relate to the person and that are in the possession of a service provider have been accessed following a disclosure request may apply to the Referee for an investigation into the matter.

(3)If an application is made under this section (other than one appearing to the Referee to be frivolous or vexatious), the Referee shall investigate— (a) whether a disclosure request was made as alleged in the application, and (b) if so, whether any provision of section 6 has been contravened in relation to the disclosure request.

(4)If, after investigating the matter, the Referee concludes that a provision of section 6 has been contravened, the Referee shall— (a) notify the applicant in writing of that conclusion, and (b) make a report of the Referee’s findings to the Taoiseach.

(5)In addition, in the circumstances specified in subsection (4), the Referee may, if he or she thinks fit, by order do either or both of the following— (a) direct the Garda Síochána, the Permanent Defence Force or the Revenue Commissioners to destroy the relevant data and any copies of the data, (b) make a recommendation for the payment to the applicant of such sum by way of compensation as may be specified in the order.

(6)The Minister shall implement any recommendation under subsection (5)(b).

(7)If, after investigating the matter, the Referee concludes that section 6 has not been contravened, the Referee shall notify the applicant in writing to that effect.

(8)A decision of the Referee under this section is final.

(9)For the purpose of an investigation under this section, the Referee is entitled to access, and has the power to inspect, any official documents or records relating to the relevant application.

(10)Any person who was concerned in, or has information relevant to, the making of a disclosure request in respect of which an application is made under this section shall give the Referee, on his or her request, such information relating to the request as is in the person’s possession.

Amendment of section 8 (Review of operation of Act by judge of High Court) of Act of 1993.

11.— Section 8 of the Act of 1993 is amended by the substitution of the following for subsection (1): “(1) The President of the High Court shall from time to time after consulting with the Minister invite a person who is a judge of the High Court to undertake (while serving as such a judge) the duties specified in this section and section 12 of the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 and, if the invitation is accepted, the Government shall designate the judge for the purposes of this Act and the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011. (1A) Subsection (1) does not affect the functions of the Data Protection Commissioner under section 10 of the Data Protection Act 1988 .”.

Duties of designated judge in relation to this Act.

12.— (1) In addition to the duties assigned under section 8 of the Act of 1993, the designated judge shall— (a) keep the operation of the provisions of this Act under review, (b) ascertain whether the Garda Síochána, the Permanent Defence Force and the Revenue Commissioners are complying with its provisions, and (c) include, in the report to the Taoiseach under section 8(2) of the Act of 1993, such matters relating to this Act that the designated judge considers appropriate.

(2)For the purpose of carrying out the duties assigned under this section, the designated judge— (a) has the power to investigate any case in which a disclosure request is made, and (b) may access and inspect any official documents or records relating to the request.

(3)Any person who was concerned in, or has information relevant to, the preparation or making of a disclosure request shall give the designated judge, on his or her request, such information relating to the request as is in the person’s possession.

(4)The designated judge may, if he or she considers it desirable to do so, communicate with the Taoiseach or the Minister concerning disclosure requests and with the Data Protection Commissioner in connection with the Commissioner’s functions under the DataProtection Acts 1988 and 2003.

Repeal.

13.— (1) Part 7 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 is repealed.

(2)Notwithstanding the repeal under subsection (1), data that were the subject of a data retention request under Part 7 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 before that repeal may be adduced in evidence in proceedings conducted after that repeal subject to the provisions of this Act applying and having effect.

Short title.

14.— This Act may be cited as the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011.

SCHEDULE 1 Offences Deemed to be Serious Offences

Section 1

1.An offence under sections 11 and 12 of the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996 .

2.An offence under section 6 of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992 .

3.An offence under section 12 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 .

4.An offence under section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 1995.

5.An offence under section 5 of the Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 .

SCHEDULE 2

Section 3

PART 1

Fixed network telephony and mobile telephony data to be retained under section 3 1. Data necessary to trace and identify the source of a communication: (a) the calling telephone number; (b) the name and address of the subscriber or registered user.

2.Data necessary to identify the destination of a communication: (a) the number dialled (the telephone number called) and, in cases involving supplementary services such as call forwarding or call transfer, the number or numbers to which the call is routed; (b) the name and address of the subscriber or registered user.

3.Data necessary to identify the date and time of the start and end of a communication.

4.Data necessary to identify the type of communication: the telephone service used.

5.Data necessary to identify users’ communications equipment or what purports to be their equipment: (a) the calling and called telephone number; (b) the International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) of the called and calling parties (mobile telephony only); (c) the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of the called and calling parties (mobile telephony only); (d) in the case of pre-paid anonymous services, the date and time of the initial activation of the service and the cell ID from which the service was activated (mobile telephony only).

6.Data necessary (mobile telephony only) to identify the location of mobile communication equipment: (a) the cell ID at the start of the communication; (b) data identifying the geographical location of cells by reference to their cell ID during the period for which communication data are retained.

PART 2

Internet access, Internet e-mail and Internet telephony data to be retained under section 3 1. Data necessary to trace and identify the source of a communication: (a) the user ID allocated; (b) the user ID and telephone number allocated to any communication entering the public telephone network; (c) the name and address of the subscriber or registered user to whom an Internet Protocol (IP) address, user ID or telephone number was allocated at the time of the communication.

2.Data necessary to identify the destination of a communication: (a) the user ID or telephone number of the intended recipient of an Internet telephony call; (b) the name and address of the subscriber or registered user and user ID of the intended recipient of the communication.

3.Data necessary to identify the date, time and duration of a communication: (a) the date and time of the log-in and log-off of the Internet access service, based on a certain time zone, together with the IP address, whether dynamic or static, allocated by the Internet access service provider to a communication, and the user ID of the subscriber or registered user; (b) the date and time of the log-in and log-off of the Internet e-mail service or Internet telephony service, based on a certain time zone.

4.Data necessary to identify the type of communication: the Internet service used.

5.Data necessary to identify users’ communication equipment or what purports to be their equipment: (a) the calling telephone number for dial-up access; (b) the digital subscriber line (DSL) or other end point of the originator of the communication.

1 O.J. No. L105, 13.04.2006, p. 54 2 O.J. No. L201, 31.07.2002, p. 37 Privacy Statement Accessibility European Legislation Identifier (PDF) Open Data License Ráiteas Príobháideachais Inrochtaineacht Aitheantóir Eorpach Reachtaíochta (ELI) Ceadúnas Sonraí Oscailte Liosta Fianán © Government of Ireland. Oireachtas Copyright Material is reproduced with the permission of the Houses of the Oireachtas © Rialtas na hÉireann. Atáirgtear ábhar faoi Chóipcheart le cead ó Thithe an Oireachtais

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