Cookie Policy · Consent · Transparent choices
You decide which optional technologies Ireland Newspaper may use.
This Cookie Policy explains how Bigmedia24 Dynamics Ltd., as publisher of Ireland Newspaper, uses cookies and similar technologies on irelandnewspaper.com. It describes the available categories, their purposes, how consent is recorded, how long choices remain valid and how you can change or withdraw them.
Our default: strictly necessary technologies may operate because they are required to provide or protect a service you request. Functional, analytics and advertising technologies remain disabled unless you actively allow the relevant category.
What cookies and similar technologies are
A cookie is usually a small text file stored by a website through your browser. It can contain information used to maintain a session, remember a choice, secure a service, measure website use or support other defined functions.
This policy also covers comparable technologies that store information on, or access information from, your device. Depending on the service, these may include local or session storage, pixels, tags, software-development tools, device identifiers and similar mechanisms. Ordinary server and security logs are not browser cookies, but their use is explained in our Privacy Policy.
First-party technology
Set or controlled through irelandnewspaper.com, for example the cookie that remembers your privacy choices.
Third-party technology
Provided by an external service, such as an embedded media, analytics or advertising provider, subject to its role and privacy information.
Session storage
Generally intended to expire when the relevant browser session ends, although browser restoration settings can affect practical behaviour.
Persistent storage
Remains for a stated period or until removed, allowing a preference or other defined function to continue across visits.
When we ask before a technology operates
Under the Irish ePrivacy rules, consent is normally required before information is stored on or accessed from a visitor’s device. Where consent is used and personal data is involved, it must meet the applicable data-protection standard: it must be freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous and expressed by a clear affirmative action.
- Strictly necessary exception: consent is not required where the technology is strictly necessary to transmit a communication or provide an online service explicitly requested by the visitor.
- Optional technologies: functional, analytics and advertising technologies are not activated merely because a visitor continues browsing, closes a notice or uses the website.
- No preselected optional categories: optional choices remain off unless the visitor selects them or chooses “Accept all”.
- Refusal remains possible: “Reject non-essential” is available in the first layer of the consent interface and does not prevent access to ordinary news content.
- Withdrawal remains possible: the persistent “Cookie settings” control allows a visitor to reopen the same choices at any time.
Four categories with different purposes
A technology is assigned according to its actual purpose, not its provider’s preferred label. Where one service has several purposes, separate tags or the most protective applicable category may be required.
Strictly necessary
Supports security, network delivery, accessibility, consent storage, authentication and a core function specifically requested by the visitor. It is not used for optional advertising or audience measurement.
Functional
Enables optional website features and remembers non-essential choices, such as an embedded service, presentation preference or convenience function.
Analytics
Measures website use, page performance and technical behaviour so we can understand audiences and improve the publication. Analytics is not treated as strictly necessary.
Advertising
Supports advertising delivery, measurement, attribution, frequency control, audience selection or personalisation where such technologies are configured.
A choice can be made, remembered and changed
First visit
The banner explains the categories. Optional technologies remain blocked while no valid choice exists.
Select
You may accept all, reject all non-essential technologies or open the detailed settings and select categories individually.
Remember
A necessary first-party consent cookie stores the policy version, time and category choices so the banner does not appear on every page.
Change
The permanent Cookie settings control reopens the choices. A new selection replaces the earlier one and rejected accessible cookies are removed where technically possible.
Cookies used by the consent tool and WordPress core areas
The following table describes the first-party cookies known to the current core implementation. WordPress authentication cookies generally apply only to authorised users who sign in to administration or another enabled account area, not to an ordinary reader who simply views public articles.
| Category | Name | Provider | Purpose | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Necessary | ina_cookie_consent | Ireland Newspaper | Stores the consent-policy version, timestamp and the visitor’s category choices so those choices can be respected across pages and visits. | Up to 180 days |
| Necessary | wordpress_test_cookie | WordPress | Checks whether the browser accepts cookies when the WordPress login page is used. | Session |
| Necessary | wordpress_sec_*wordpress_logged_in_* | WordPress | Supports secure authentication and maintains a signed-in session for an authorised administrator or enabled user account. | Session or according to the selected sign-in option |
| Necessary | wp-settings-*wp-settings-time-* | WordPress | Remembers administration-interface settings for an authenticated WordPress user. | Usually up to 1 year |
Live cookie declaration
The Cookie Settings administration maintains the detailed live inventory used by the Ireland Newspaper Cookie Settings plugin. It should be reviewed after every plugin, theme, tag, embed, CDN or advertising change.
External services may have their own privacy responsibilities
Embedded video, audio and social content
Blocked until permittedAn external player or social embed may transmit device or usage information when loaded. Where it is optional, its address should remain blocked until the assigned category is allowed.
Maps, charts and interactive tools
Purpose-based categoryAn external map, market chart, weather widget or similar tool may use storage, identifiers or network requests. Its category depends on its actual function and data practices.
Audience measurement
Analytics consentAnalytics tools are optional. If configured, their tags should not execute and their cookies should not be set until analytics consent is granted.
Advertising technology
Advertising consentAdvertising tags used for measurement, attribution, profiles, personalisation, frequency or cross-service recognition require the advertising category and any additional lawful conditions.
External links
New websiteFollowing an ordinary link to another website takes you outside irelandnewspaper.com. The destination determines its own cookies and should provide its own information and controls.
Signals support a choice but do not replace proper blocking
Google Consent Mode
If enabled, the preference tool sends denied or granted storage signals corresponding to the selected categories. Consent Mode does not itself install a Google service and must not be treated as permission to load an otherwise blocked tag.
Global Privacy Control
Where supported and configured, the preference mechanism can recognise a browser’s Global Privacy Control signal and keep advertising disabled before an explicit choice. Browser support and legal effects may vary.
Tag managers
A tag manager must be configured so that an optional tag cannot bypass the visitor’s category choice. A container that fires everything before consent defeats the purpose of the interface.
Caching and optimisation
Page caching, script combination, deferral and CDN tools can change execution order. They must be tested so consent-gated code remains blocked on every page and device.
Server-side tracking
A browser choice must not be circumvented by moving the same optional tracking purpose to a server. Any server-side processing requires its own valid legal assessment and transparent disclosure.
No fingerprinting substitute
Rejecting cookies must not lead to undisclosed device fingerprinting, link decoration or another method used to recreate the same optional tracking purpose.
Website settings and browser settings serve different roles
The Ireland Newspaper preference centre controls the optional technologies integrated with it. Your browser may also allow you to view, block or delete cookies globally or for a particular website. Browser controls can provide additional protection but do not remove our responsibility to obtain any consent required before an optional technology operates.
Deleting cookies
Removing the consent cookie erases the remembered choice from that browser, so the banner should appear again on a later visit.
Different browsers or devices
A choice stored locally does not automatically follow you to another browser, profile or device. You may need to set preferences separately.
Private browsing
Private or incognito modes may remove storage when the session closes and may therefore request a new choice more frequently.
Technical deletion limits
A website cannot directly remove an HttpOnly cookie or a cookie belonging to another domain. Use the provider’s controls or browser settings where necessary.
Cookie choices form part of our wider privacy framework
Some cookies and related technologies involve personal data, such as an online identifier, IP address, device information, activity record or a combination that can relate to an individual. The relevant purpose, legal basis, recipients, retention and rights depend on the technology and context.
The inventory must evolve with the website
We may update this policy where the website, consent tool, law, provider, purpose or technical implementation changes. The review date above identifies the current public version.
- Regular audit: we should inspect cookies, local storage, tags, pixels, embeds, network calls and scripts across representative pages, devices and consent choices.
- Change control: a new plugin, theme feature, tag, advertiser, media embed or CDN function should be assessed before deployment.
- Fresh consent: a materially different purpose, provider or category may require a new choice rather than reliance on an earlier consent.
- Corrections: an inaccurate cookie name, duration, provider or purpose should be corrected promptly and the effect on previous consent assessed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I read Ireland Newspaper after rejecting optional cookies?
Yes. Ordinary news content should remain available. A specific optional embed or feature may remain disabled where it depends on a category you rejected.
Why is a consent cookie allowed before I accept?
The first-party consent cookie is used to provide and remember the privacy choice itself, including a rejection. It is treated as strictly necessary for the requested preference function and is not used for optional analytics or advertising.
How long is my choice remembered?
The current default is up to 180 days. We may request a new choice earlier after a material change, and your browser may remove the cookie sooner.
Does rejecting analytics remove previously created cookies?
The preference tool attempts to remove configured and browser-accessible first-party cookies for a rejected category. It cannot directly delete HttpOnly cookies or storage belonging to another domain, so browser or provider controls may also be needed.
Why do I see the banner again?
The consent cookie may have expired or been deleted, the policy version may have changed, or you may be using a different browser, device, profile or private session.
Does Google Consent Mode mean Google tags are always loaded?
No. Consent Mode communicates status signals; it is not a substitute for deciding whether a tag may load. Optional tags must still be placed in and governed by the correct consent category.
Contact Bigmedia24 Dynamics Ltd.
Tell us which page, cookie, provider or technology concerns you and include the date, browser and relevant evidence where possible. Do not send passwords, authentication codes or unnecessary sensitive information.
Implementation note: This policy must remain consistent with the technologies actually operating on irelandnewspaper.com. A consent banner or policy cannot by itself prevent a theme, plugin, tag manager, embed, advertiser or server component from setting an unlisted technology. The live website therefore requires ongoing technical audits as well as accurate written information.