NCI respects the privacy and choices of all individuals that use or visit its website. The purpose of this policy is to outline the way in which National College of Ireland uses cookies on the ncirl.ie domain. 

Any information that is collected through the use of cookies and similar technologies will be treated in accordance with the E-Privacy Directive, S.I. No. 336/2011 - European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Privacy and Electronic Communications) Regulations 2011, GDPR, and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018. 

In this policy, National College of Ireland is referred to as ‘NCI’, ‘we’, ‘us’, and ‘the College’. This policy is also subject to change as any developments in technology or legislation governing cookies and similar technologies may alter the way in which the College uses them or how a website visitor can manage them.

Cookies are small text files that a website can place in the browser of your computer or mobile device, while you are browsing the internet. They are designed to remember stateful information and record a visitor’s browsing activity. Once a cookie has been dropped onto a user’s computer or mobile device, the cookie provider can continue to access it. 

If you would like to find out more about cookies, you can consult web resources such as aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org.

Broadly speaking, NCI uses cookies to:

i. Allow the website to work properly for users 

ii. Collect information about how users are using the website 

iii. Remember user preferences to make the site easier to use and provide a more personalised experience 

iv. Track user online activity to deliver targeted and relevant advertising

When you visit the pages supported by the ncirl.ie domain, you will receive a message in the form of a cookie banner which asks for your consent to use cookies and similar tracking technologies. When you click on “Accept All Cookies” we send cookies to your computer or mobile device. 

You will also be presented with the option to opt-in to specific types of cookies. This can be done by clicking the “Cookie Settings” button. You can opt-in by moving the slider to “on” and then click “Confirm my Choices”.

There are some cookies which are strictly necessary as they are required for the website to properly function. These do not require your consent and will be placed on your computer or mobile device to enable you to view and use the website. Where a user clicks “Only Accept Strictly Necessary”, a cookie will be launched to remember that preference.

You may change your preferences at any point by scrolling to the bottom of the page you are on or the ncirl.ie homepage. You can click on “Cookie Preferences” and the preference centre will reappear for you.

When you disable all cookies, or certain cookies, you may not be able to fully view or use the site as some are required to enable particular functionalities.

i. First and third party cookies 

There are many different types of cookies. For example: 

• First party cookies – these are cookies placed on your device by NCI when you visit or use our website 
• Third party cookies – these are not placed on your device by NCI but by a third party such as an advertiser or analytic system. Third party cookies can be placed on the NCI website but are not related to the College. For example, if you visit a page with embedded content from HubSpot, Youtube, Instagram or Facebook, third party cookies can be launched. Third parties can also launch, for example, performance cookies, to analyse where to best place advertisements for users or functional cookies to enable webchat or posts on blogs. As NCI do not control these cookies, it is requested that you check any third party websites for their own cookie policies for clarity. 

ii. Categories of cookies 

The information collected through cookies on ncirl.ie can include IP addresses, the user’s behaviour on the site, the user’s preferences on the site, the browser or device that a user has accessed the site with, and a user’s browsing activities across different websites. This information is collected through different categories of cookies that serve different purposes. For example, NCI uses:

• Strictly necessary cookies – Strictly necessary cookies are essential as they are needed to enable basic functions of the NCI website to work. For example, they allow users to sign-in, ensure webpages load quickly, effectively and securely remember particular actions made during a session while browsing throughout the site. Strictly necessary cookies are the only category of cookie that do not require a user’s consent. 
• Functional cookies - Functional cookies are used to provide users with a more personalised experience. They remember particular choices you make or settings you use. For example, they can remember choices such as language settings or remember your username and password for automatic logins. Functional cookies generally collect anonymous information and do not track you across other websites. 
• Performance cookies – Performance cookies collect information about how the NCI website is used. For example, they will tell us which pages are visited most often, how long a visitor stays on a page, or the way in which a visitor found their way to a page. They can also provide NCI with information on, for example, load speeds and error messages received by users on the website. Performance cookies collect anonymous information and it is used by NCI to improve its website as well as user experience. 
• Tracking cookies – Tracking cookies track your online activity to help companies deliver targeted and relevant advertisements to you. Tracking cookies are generally third party and the information gathered from them can be shared with other organisations. They are also used to build profiles of users and statistics on how well an advertisement performs. These cookies can follow users across different websites and provide advertisements after a user has left a website. 
• Social media cookies - These cookies are set by social media services that have been added to the website. If you do not enable these cookies, you may not be able to use or see social media tools.

NCI also uses cookies that have different expiration or retention dates. For example: 

• Session cookies – Session cookies are temporary and expire once you close your browser or when your session ends. They may be used to enable certain parts of the NCI website to function properly and ensure that pages are sent to the browser in an efficient manner. 
• Persistent cookies - Persistent cookies remain in your browser and are stored on a user’s device until they are erased or they reach the end of their expiration date. They are used to remember information such as settings, preferences, and username and passwords that a user has saved. They also track website users as they move around the site and are used to improve user experience.

You can find a list of cookies in the preference centre. This list outlines the cookies used on the ncirl.ie domain and is regularly updated to reflect any changes. You may access the preference centre by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Once the preference centre is open, you can click on the category of cookie, "cookie details", and "view cookies". 

You may also refer to NCI’s Cookie List

NCI bases the processing of personal data collected from cookies and similar tracking technologies under Article 6(1)(f) of GDPR, legitimate interests, as it enables the College to understand what parts of our website are the most popular, understand how much time visitors spend on the site, improve website performance, and match user interests and preferences. Please see the NCI Privacy Statement and Data Protection Policy for further information on how NCI processes personal data, how you can contact the NCI DPO, and your rights. It can be accessed on our Privacy Policy page.

As noted above, you may change your preferences at any point by scrolling to the bottom of the page you are on or the ncirl.ie homepage. You can click on “Cookie Preferences” and the preference centre will reappear for you. 

Alternatively, you can check those that NCI sets in your browser:

• Google Chrome: Open Google Chrome. Type chrome://settings/siteData into the search bar and hit the enter/return button. 
• Mozilla Firefox: Open Mozilla Firefox, open options, select privacy and security. Then select cookies and site data and click the “Manage Data” button.
• Internet Explorer: Open Internet Explorer, select the gear icon, and then internet options. On the general tab, in the Browsing history section, select settings. Then in the website settings dialog box, choose view files and enter the domain. 
• Opera: Open Opera, click on the Opera icon, select Preferences, then Privacy and Security and go to the “Cookies section” where you will see the search cookies bar. 
• Bing: Instructions on how to delete cookies from Bing are provided by Microsoft
• Safari: Open Safari and go to preferences. Then choose security and click “Show Cookies”. Then enter the domain address 

Enter ncirl.ie in the “search cookies” bar as appropriate and select those which you would like to delete. 

To disable these cookies on Apple and Android devices: 

• iPhone and iPad: Go to settings, choose Safari, tap on “Advanced” and then “Website Data”. You will be presented with the option to remove all website data. 
• Android devices: Open Chrome and click on the three dots in the right-hand corner at the top of the page. Scroll down and tap on settings. Scroll down and tap “Privacy” and then “Clear Browsing Data”. You then click on “Clear Data” after you have decided what information you would like cleared.

Other common online tracking technologies that can be used in conjunction with cookies include: 

Web-beacons and tracking pixels; a web-beacon or tracking pixel is a small pixelated image that is used to keep track of a user’s navigation through a site or series of sites. They can also be used to ascertain whether or not an email was opened. Web-beacons can be used to, for example, count online ad impressions or monitor file downloads. Their purpose is to make browsing more efficient or make your site visit more personal. Information that can be tracked through web beacons includes IP addresses, browser, and time of visit. 

Digital fingerprints; a digital fingerprint is a type of tracking that uses the traits of a user’s device or browser to build a profile. Information that can be collected includes, for example, the device being used, the browser and browser version, and operating system. If you would like to find out how well fingerprinting can identify you, you can consult web resources such as Panopticlick.

Please refer to NCI’s Data Protection Policy and Data Privacy Statement for further information on how NCI processes your personal data and how you can exercise your rights. Please be aware that privacy statements and policies are subject to change.