The OPW has removed visitor books from historical sites across the country amid fears about running foul of data protection laws.
The Irish Times reports the state agency is concerned it iss storing up personal data and could run afoul of European data protection rules.
Sites including Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin Castle and Muckross House have been told to take the books away.
But privacy expert Daragh O'Brien from consultancy firm Castlebridge says the heritage body is overreacting.
"There isn't an awful lot of personal information in a visitor book and the OPW could have managed the risk by simply putting up a sign advising people to put the bare minimum information about themselves - their name and the country they're from - in the visitor book but still allowing the OPW to have that opportunity to capture the sentiment of visitors about some of our leading heritage sites," he said.
