Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 428: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the way her Department disposes of redundant information technology equipment; if she is satisfied that all stored information has been removed prior to disposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32342/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Redundant information technology equipment is disposed of in the following ways.

Non-reusable equipment is sent for destruction by shredding and crushing with hard drives being removed and individually destroyed. Confirmation of all equipment destroyed is provided to the Department. In the case of reusable redundant information technology equipment the Department has an agreement with a charity that re-cycles the computers for use in the Third World. As part of the service the charity provides a certified data erasure service and erasure is confirmed to the Department.

The policy and procedures for the secure disposal of redundant information technology equipment is again being reviewed in light of recent events elsewhere.