Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When the national child care information system, NCCIS, was being developed, Tusla carried out a privacy impact assessment in 2013. This preceded the requirements of the general data protection regulation, GDPR, which came into effect in May of this year. The system was also the subject of design and security considerations prior to its national launch last July. Following the original privacy impact assessment, Tusla is now progressing a data protection impact assessment, in line with best practice. It is hoped to complete this by the end of the year.

The NCCIS is an extremely important technology solution for social workers in child protection and welfare services. The system allows social workers to record the case history of every child who is the subject of a child protection or welfare concern, from the point of referral to case closure. I regard it as a vital part of Tusla's work to protect children.

The NCCIS has the capacity to facilitate the integration and sharing of information on child protection and welfare cases between Tusla areas where appropriate. The development and national roll-out of the NCCIS has enhanced working systems for those working in child protection and welfare services. I am happy to have secured the funding for the introduction of this system.

Tusla is prioritising the progression of its ICT strategy, and the NCCIS is the first step in realising a modern, efficient and integrated service for children and families throughout Ireland. The principle of a data protection impact assessment in the GDPR is for organisations to consider data protection risks in the design of new systems. I am pleased that Tusla is carrying out the assessment at the earliest opportunity but I believe the priority is to ensure the NCCIS is fully operational in order that it can help to protect vulnerable children.

Tusla has advised that future modules of the NCCIS, when developed, will be subject to data protection impact assessments. As part of the training provided on the introduction of the NCCIS, Tusla staff have been trained in the use of safeguards in the system in order that appropriate data security and processing is maintained.

I want to ensure that we meet our obligations under data protection legislation, but I make no apology for prioritising child protection measures. The safety and best interests of children come first.

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