The Nanoquest website is part of the Discover Science & Engineering National Integrated Awareness Programme that is managed by Forfás. Forfás is registered as a Data Processor with the Data Commissioner with registration number 0177/A.

This page sets out Forfás's policy with regard to the privacy of the users of the Nanoquest website. By visiting this website, you are agreeing to the terms of this privacy statement. If you are not happy with the terms of this privacy statement and do not wish your information to be recorded, you may wish to leave this site.

Forfás respects the rights of its users and, except for the following list, does not collect personal information through the Nanoquest website:

Statistical information gathered automatically when you visit the website

Information provided voluntarily when making an enquiry request, providing feedback , entering a competition or performing a similar activity through the website.

For general web browsing, certain information is recorded in the website log files, which may include:

• The top level domain name from which you access the internet
• The IP address of the computer from which you access the website
The date and time each computer accesses the website
• The pages accessed and the documents downloaded by each computer
• The type and version of the browsers being used to access the website
• The addresses of any third party webpages which refer visitors to our website
• Keywords used in search engines and directories to find our website Keywords and phrases used to search our website.

• to find out how many people are visiting our sites
• to identify what pages are accessed most frequently
• to help us improve the information we are supplying to our users
• to make our site more user friendly.

This information is made available to an agent of Forfás who provides an analysis and reporting service to Forfás. This agent of Forfás has provided written confirmation to Forfás that they will comply with the relevant data protection obligations by keeping information secure and not using it for any purpose other than which it was provided. An archive of these website log files and associated analysis and reports are retained indefinitely in Forfás as a way of measuring patterns of website traffic over the years and in order to facilitate future planning.

Cookies

A cookie is a block of data that a web server places on a user’s PC. Typically it is used to ease navigation through the site. However, it is also a useful means of the website tracking the user’s path through the site, and identifying repeat visits to the site by the same user (or same user’s machine). They can also help the website owner to identify and troubleshoot errors arising on the website. The Nanoquest website uses session cookies which store information in the form of a session identification that also records the IP address of the computer from which you access the website. These session cookies are deleted from your computer when you close your browser. A copy of the session cookie is made on the computer where the website is hosted in order to help improve technical delivery and assist with ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting of the website (see ‘Storage of subscriber lists, personal information and cookies’ below). The Nanoquest website does not use persistent cookies (cookies that remain on your computer between visits). If you do not want to accept cookies you can adjust your browser settings as most browsers can be set to prevent them being downloaded.

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (Google). Google Analytics uses cookies, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

• Allow you to register for the Nanoquest Competitions.
• Register interest in Nanoquest updates.
• Submit general feedback comments.

E-newsletter

If you subscribe to the e-newsletter (either during registration or following registration), your email address is automatically added to the subscriber database. We will only use your email address for sending you communications for which you have specifically subscribed or requested. On occasion Forfás may also contact subscribers to advise of further developments in relation to the NANOQUEST Programme. All e-newsletters include details of how you can unsubscribe.

• a limited number of Forfás staff within the Systems Department have physical access
• a limited number of Forfás staff within the Communications Department, Discover Science and Engineering and the Systems Department have access via the internal network Text communications to mobile phones.
• agents of Forfás have remote access for the purposes of providing website development , maintenance or hosting services.

Text communications to mobile phones

Your mobile phone number will only be made available to the third party agent that we have contracted to operate and provide text communication services and which may not use this information for any other purpose. We will only use your mobile phone number for the purposes for which you provided it to us. You can unsubscribe from these mobile services at any time. Details of how to unsubscribe are provided in the same location on this website as the details of how to subscribe.

Disclosure of personal information

Registrants' names and school contact details that are submitted through the website’s forms may be published on the website. In addition, some feedback that is submitted through the website forms may be published anonymously on the website if it is likely to be of interest or of use to other website users. In the case of website forms from which information is not to be published on the website, Forfás will not disclose a user's personal information to any other party, unless it is required to do so by law, or it is necessary in order to complete the user's request or answer the user's query

Security of your personal information

Due to the nature of the internet we cannot guarantee the security of any information whilst it is being transmitted to us via the internet. However, we take our security responsibilities very seriously and take all reasonable steps (both technical and organisational) to protect your personal details once they have been received by Forfás. Staff who have access to personal information gathered from the websites are made aware of Data Protection responsibilities. Names of the Forfás staff members who have access to this information are available on request. Information that is no longer in use is retained on backup tape for no longer than 1 year.

Your right of access to personal information

You may inform us of any changes in your personal data and in accordance with our obligations under the Data Protection Acts 1998 and 2003 we will update or delete your personal data accordingly. To find out what personal data we hold on you or to have your personal data updated, amended or removed from our files please contact us using the details below.

Privacy statements on third party websites

Where the NANOQUEST website provides links to third party websites (for instance from the Activities > Web Links section), these links are provided for information purposes only and Forfás is not responsible for the content, copyright or privacy policies of these websites.

Contacts

Should you have any concerns about your privacy or any of the issues covered in this statement, please contact Josephine Hughes or Loretta Mulvihill at:

privacy@[removethis]forfas.ie or
Communications Department,
Forfás, Wilton Park House,
Wilton Place,
Dublin 2,
Ireland
Tel: +353 1 6073000.