Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

Question 185: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the cloud computing systems that are in use in his Department; the safeguards that are in place regarding personal information and public data on those systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8628/10]

Eamon Ryan (Minister, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; Dublin South, Green Party)

Cloud computing is one of the fasting growing IT sectors and offers significant benefits to users by allowing access to high level business applications and reduced costs. I am keen to see the development of such benefits in the management of information services within my own Department. In the development of such a new approach we would of course carry out the necessary due diligence to ensure data protection, confidentiality and security. Our paper outlining technology actions to support a knowledge society sets out some of the benefits that could accrue to the state from the development of cloud computing services here. I am now working within my own Department and with other Government Departments to ensure that we realise some of these opportunities.