I'm getting junk mail (post and email). How can I stop this?

The ICGP Find a GP service is intended for use by the general public to locate a GP. It only contains the names of GPs who have agreed to have their details listed for this purpose. The service should not be used for any other purpose including chain letters, junk mail, spam, solicitations (commercial or non-commercial) or bulk communications of any kind unless the recipient has given specific permission to be included in such a list.

However, we are unable to prevent commercial companies from accessing the website and compiling mailing lists as the website is open to all members of the public. Some companies may imply that your name was supplied by the ICGP - the ICGP does not supply a list/database of members' names to any external organisation.

Also, if you are receiving unwanted communications, you should contact the companies involved and ask to be taken off their list. The Data Protection Commissioner offers the following advice:

"If you do not want to receive direct marketing, you have a right to notify the sender that you object to receiving such material. This request must be made in writing and an organisation that fails to respect your stated preference shall be in contravention of the Acts. If you continue to receive marketing after you have objected, you can Make a Complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner."

Apart from contacting organisations individually, you may also wish to avail of a service run by the Irish Direct Marketing Association (IDMA). Under the Mail Preference Service, if you supply your contact details to the IDMA, it will circulate these details amongst its members. This will result in most of the main direct marketing companies removing your details from their mailing lists. The IDMA's contact details are IDMA, 8 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2, tel: 01 661 0470, fax: 01 661 4589, email: info@idma.ie

The Data Protection Commissioner's website is available at www.dataprotection.ie and their postal address is Canal House, Station Road, Portarlington, Co Laois.