Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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21. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the extensive annual financial commitment across Departments on the storage of records and archive material at various sites and the extensive associate retrieval costs, the savings to the Exchequer that could be made by moving toward a more streamlined storage service and by the employment of archivists; the work being undertaken within the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer on digital preservation of records in Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38282/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) is currently undertaking a joint project within my department and the Department of Finance to develop a system that would allow records to be stored electronically. 

A potential outcome from that project is the development of a standard that could be adopted by other departments and public bodies, which are also subject to the National Archives Act.  Any potential savings from storing records electronically would have to be explored and realised by the bodies subject to the Act, in partnership with the National Archives.