Good news, our box of contribution envelopes arrived, data protection ????

Rabidlamb

Our weekly donation envelopes arrived with my name & my wife's name on top.
Funny thing is everyone spells my surname incorrectly but it was correct on the box, my wife didn't take my surname that's correct on the box also.

I have been in this parish 6 years & never once attended church, I got married in a registry office so I'm not on this parish register.
After I let the kids play postman & deliver each envelope to the bin I wondered how they obtained my details.
God works in mysterious ways, if only there was a data protection commissioner to police this sort of thing, alas.....

schemingbohemia

If you're on the electoral register and haven't chosen to not receive "commercial" post (not sure of correct opt out name) then that's how they got you.

Obviously they're presuming you're Catholic which is typical but not illegal.

Info on register here
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/elections_and_referenda/voting/registering_to_vote.html

Local authorities publish two versions of the Register of Electors: the full register and the edited register.

The Full Register lists everyone who is entitled to vote. Once a Full Register has been published, it can only be used for an electoral or other statutory purpose.

The Edited Register contains the names and addresses of those voters who have indicated that their details can be used for other purposes (for example, for direct marketing use by a commercial company or other organisation).

If you do not want your details to be included in the Edited Register, you should tick the "opt out" box. If you want your details to be included in the Edited Register, that is, you are happy that commercial companies and other organisations will contact you with direct marketing, you should leave the "opt out" box blank.

If you do not tick the "opt out" box, it is assumed that you want your details to be included in the Edited Register, if you do not wish your details to appear on the Edited Register tick the "opt out" box.

It is an offence for an organisation/commercial body to contact someone from the full electoral register for direct marketing purposes. This was set down in law under Section 32 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001. Find out more about how to deal with unsolicited direct marketing material in Ireland.

Zombrex

Rabidlamb wrote: »

Our weekly donation envelopes arrived with my name & my wife's name on top.
Funny thing is everyone spells my surname incorrectly but it was correct on the box, my wife didn't take my surname that's correct on the box also.

I have been in this parish 6 years & never once attended church, I got married in a registry office so I'm not on this parish register.
After I let the kids play postman & deliver each envelope to the bin I wondered how they obtained my details.
God works in mysterious ways, if only there was a data protection commissioner to police this sort of thing, alas.....

Write to the church and ask them what information they have on you and tell them that you want to be deleted from their database.

They might make a fuss about it but they are required by law to comply.

gizmo555

Rabidlamb wrote: »

God works in mysterious ways, if only there was a data protection commissioner to police this sort of thing, alas.....

There is: www.dataprotection.ie

Zombrex wrote: »

Write to the church and ask them what information they have on you and tell them that you want to be deleted from their database.

They might make a fuss about it but they are required by law to comply.

Why would they make a fuss? Why would they want to waste time and money continuing to send envelopes to someone who has said he doesn't want them and is obviously not going to contribute?

mikhail

Schemingbohemia is probably correct regarding how they got your name. Gizmo's link is the place to follow it up: I think they have to take you out of their records, but that site will tell you for sure (and how to go about it).

sensibleken

you should use them to send the priest one pice of a jigsaw every week but leave one piece out. he will be so annoyed at his failure to complete the puzzle that the ensuing murder-suicide spree will get rid of the catholic church forever

Zombrex

gizmo555 wrote: »

Why would they make a fuss? Why would they want to waste time and money continuing to send envelopes to someone who has said he doesn't want them and is obviously not going to contribute?

Because that is already done, the mailing system is automatic. Its not like someone sits down and writes out 20,000 addresses and you just ask them when they get to yours to ignore it.

To remove him they would have to take time to go through the process to remove him from the database. That would involve a number of steps, steps people often can't be arsed to follow.

gizmo555

mikhail wrote: »

Gizmo's link is the place to follow it up

No, the place to follow it up first is with the parish church. Despite what Zombrex comments, I can't see any reason why they would want to continue sending boxes of envelopes - an exercise which costs them money - to someone who has expressly said he doesn't want them and will definitely not be making any donation to the church.

OP, if you could be bothered, you could also make a request under the Data Protection Acts for a copy of any data the church holds on you and for what purpose they have it. They must comply with such a request within 40 days.

Either way, take it up with the church first. If you get onto the Data Protection Commissioner, the first thing you'll be asked is what steps you have taken directly with the church to resolve your issue.

recedite

Send each envelope in separately to the priest with a little message inside.
"Ye shall get your reward in heaven" ..... or maybe; "If God is so omnipotent, why does He need to get my loose change" that sort of thing,
Mark each envelope FREEPOST or "postage will be paid by licensee".

pH

recedite wrote: »

Send each envelope in separately to the priest with a little message inside.
"Ye shall get your reward in heaven" ..... or maybe; "If God is so omnipotent, why does He need to get my loose change" that sort of thing,
Mark each envelope FREEPOST or "postage will be paid by licensee".

Reminded me of this:

I was at church the other day and when the collection came around I put some Monopoly money in the basket. The priest said to me, "What are you doing? That's not real money!" I replied, "Well, let's talk about this god of yours..."

Galvasean

I'd be more inclined to send them back an envelope containing a note saying, "I'm not Catholic. Please never ask me for money again".

amdublin

Zombrex wrote: »

Because that is already done, the mailing system is automatic. Its not like someone sits down and writes out 20,000 addresses and you just ask them when they get to yours to ignore it.

To remove him they would have to take time to go through the process to remove him from the database. That would involve a number of steps, steps people often can't be arsed to follow.

Are you joking?

Op is not asking them to manually go through 20,000 names and find his/hers.

Use a search facility, locate name, remove.
Yes a few steps alright. But a few SIMPLE steps, easily done.

Helix

send the parish priest a letter a week asking him for money

Galvasean

Galvasean wrote: »

I'd be more inclined to send them back an envelope containing a note saying, "I'm not Catholic. Please never ask me for money again".

Why?

riffmongous

Depends where you live, in rural parts people just know

Just send a letter to the priest and he'll strike you off the list.

Zombrex

amdublin wrote: »

Are you joking?

Op is not asking them to manually go through 20,000 names and find his/hers.

Use a search facility, locate name, remove.
Yes a few steps alright. But a few SIMPLE steps, easily done.

You have clearly never had dealings with direct mailers before

Some has to bother to do it, and that probably won't be the person on the phone, so someone has to find the person to do it and then get them to do it.

Far easier to fob you off, so the OP should insist and insure it is done.

sbsquarepants

Helix wrote: »

send the parish priest a letter a week asking him for money

Excellent suggestion!
Maybe tell him your roof is leaky and needs repair? Draw him one of those thermometer diagrams, showing how much you need and how much you have so far.
Of all people, he will HAVE to accept you at your word!:)