Privacy Policy | Surrogacy.ie

Effective date: 29 May 2026 | Last updated: 29 May 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Surrogacy.ie ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects personal data when you use our website at surrogacy.ie. We are committed to handling your data responsibly and in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Acts 1988–2018.

1. Who We Are

Surrogacy.ie is an independent information resource providing guidance on surrogacy in Ireland. We are based in Ireland. For data protection purposes, we are the data controller for information collected through this website.

Contact: hello@surrogacy.ie

2. What Data We Collect

Information you provide to us

When you submit our contact or enquiry form, we collect:

Your name
Your email address
Your message or enquiry
Any other information you choose to include in your message

We do not require you to create an account or provide any other personal information to use this website.

Analytics data (Matomo)

We use Matomo Analytics, a privacy-focused analytics platform, to understand how visitors use our site. Matomo is self-hosted — your data is not sent to third-party advertising networks. Matomo collects:

Pages visited and time spent on pages
Referring website (how you arrived at surrogacy.ie)
Device type, browser, and operating system (in aggregate)
Approximate geographic location (country/region, derived from IP address)

We have configured Matomo to anonymise IP addresses before storage. We do not use Matomo for advertising, retargeting, or cross-site tracking.

Technical data

Our web server logs standard technical data including IP addresses, browser type, and pages requested. This data is used only for security monitoring and is deleted on a rolling basis.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data only for the following purposes:

Responding to enquiries: When you contact us, we use your name and email address to respond to your message.
Improving the site: Analytics data helps us understand which content is most useful so we can improve it.
Security: Server logs help us identify and respond to malicious activity.

We do not sell your data, share it with advertisers, or use it for marketing without your explicit consent.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Contact form responses: Legitimate interests (responding to your enquiry) or, where applicable, your consent.
Analytics: Legitimate interests (understanding site usage to improve the service).
Security logs: Legitimate interests (maintaining website security).

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties. We may share data in the following circumstances:

Referrals and introductions (with your consent): Where you submit an expression-of-interest form and consent to onward referral, we may share your details with regulated third parties — including vetted surrogacy agencies, fertility clinics, AHR-law solicitors, and counselling services — to help connect you with the right pathway. We will only do this where you have explicitly consented on the form. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us.
Hosting: Our website is hosted on servers in Ireland/EU. Our hosting provider processes server data as a data processor under a data processing agreement.
Legal requirements: If required by law, court order, or regulatory authority, we may disclose personal data.

We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any other third-party tracking services.

6. Data Retention

Enquiry form submissions: Retained for 12 months from the date of submission, then deleted.
Analytics data: Retained for 24 months, then anonymised further or deleted.
Server logs: Retained for 30 days, then deleted.

7. Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: You can request correction of inaccurate data.
Right to erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: You can request that we restrict processing of your data.
Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Right to data portability: You can request your data in a machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@surrogacy.ie. We will respond within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) at dataprotection.ie if you are unhappy with how we have handled your data.

8. Cookies

Surrogacy.ie uses minimal cookies:

Matomo analytics cookie: A first-party cookie used to distinguish visitors for analytics purposes. This does not track you across other websites.
Session cookie: A temporary cookie that expires when you close your browser, used for basic site functionality.

We do not use advertising cookies, social media tracking cookies, or third-party marketing cookies.

9. External Links

Our site contains links to external websites including AHRRA, Citizens Information, solicitor firms, fertility clinics, and support organisations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before providing personal data to them.

10. Children's Data

Our website is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has submitted data to us, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised effective date. For significant changes, we will note them prominently.

12. Contact

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your data rights:

Email: hello@surrogacy.ie
Website: surrogacy.ie