Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Department has received a number of comments on and queries about certain aspects of the primary online database, POD, including the retention period for POD data and other data protection concerns. The Department is taking this feedback very seriously and considering the submissions received from parents and other stakeholders. The Department is consulting the Data Protection Commissioner's office and once this evaluation is complete, we will issue an updated circular on the POD.

From the 2016-17 academic year, it is intended that teacher allocations and capitation grants will be made on the basis of POD data. The previous basis for allocations, the national annual school census, will cease operation from that point. The Department will endeavour to work with schools and parents to help to avoid the loss of funding or resources. However, there is no mechanism for separate payment and allocation to schools for pupils that are not in the primary online database. From a practical point of view, it is difficult to see how such a system could work in practice.

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