Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

All records held in my Department are kept in compliance with the provisions of the Data Protection Acts, the Freedom of Information Act and the National Archives Act. Minutes are taken of meetings held in my Department, where judged appropriate. My Department has a designated member of staff who is responsible for managing the Department’s records and a designated certifying officer who is responsible for compliance with the National Archives Act 1986. National Archives staff assist with work relating to the annual transfer of departmental records to the National Archives. These staff maintain a central registry record-keeping system comprising a registry file tracking system and a central repository for the storage of departmental records. The location of files in the Department is monitored from the time of their creation until they are transferred to the National Archives for permanent preservation. As part of an ongoing programme of in-house training, workshops on the creation and maintenance of records have been provided for staff by relevant officials from the Department and the National Archives Office. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has recently appointed a chief information officer, CIO, to give guidance and leadership in the development of an ICT and record management strategy across the Civil Service. My Department will actively engage with the CIO in this work.

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